HullLo-there!
He's the man for us;

We respect him!
We'll elect him!
And we might do wuss!!

In fact, our Candidate is very popular, and is sure to "romp in
an easy winner"--which is another puzzling racing expression, as,
although I've seen plenty of horses indulge in a game of romps before
the start (notably, _L'Abbe Morin_, in the "City"), they seem to have
had more than enough of it before the finish!

I hear from Newmarket, that I missed an extremely pleasant week's
racing--and although my selection for the Stud Produce Stakes was
rather wide of the mark, I fairly hit the bullseye--(what a painful
operation this must be for the bull)--in my one "_Song from the
Birdcage_," which I warbled in the ear of a racing friend whom I met
down here; it was _a propos_ of the July Stakes and ran thus:--

The night was dark when "_Portland Bill_" escaped by Chesil Beach!
And hope beat high within his heart, that he the goal might reach!
For "_Milford_" Haven lies in sight!--one effort and he's there!
But see!--At last--he's caught!--he's passed!--just by the Judge's
Chair!

Which really remarkable prophecy was fully borne out by the race, in
fact, so close a description might almost have been written _after the
race_--a great compliment to my powers of divination!

Next week takes us to Bibury and Stockbridge. and if this hot weather
continues, the motto of the Club should be, "_Dum vivo Bibere_"--or,
freely translated--"_Half_ the soda, please!" The race to which
I propose to give my attention is the Alington Plate, and as I am
nothing if not thorough, you will see that my tip is influenced by my
being at the Seaside?

Yours devotedly, LADY GAY.

ALINGTON PLATE SELECTION.

The storm was raging through the night,
I tossed upon my pillow,
And pitied any luckless wight
Who tossed upon the "_Billow_!"

* * * * *

A SLIGHT MUDDLE.--"I hear," said Mrs. R., "that the Cassocks are
performing at the Buffalo Bill place--though not knowing the gentleman
personally, I would prefer calling him BUFFALO WILLIAM or WILLIAM
BUFFELLOW, which would be a less outlandish name--and I confess I was
astonished, as I always thought that Cassocks were Clergymen, or had
something to do with the Clergy. I suppose I had connected them with
Hassocks, which are always in Church, and were, I believe, invented
by Mr. HASSOCK, or Squire HASSOCK, who made all his money b