"I also understand you fought during the Franco-Prussian war." "I did," I said, resuming a horizontal position. "May I ask you to give me some reminiscences of the Franco-Prussian war--just enough to fill about a column?" I rose and again sat up. "Free citizen of the great American Republic," said I, "beware, beware! There will be blood shed in this room to-night." And I seized my pillow. "You are not meaty," exclaimed the reporter. "May I inquire what the meaning of this strange expression is?" I said, frowning; "I don't speak American fluently." "It means," he replied, "that there is very little to be got out of you." "Are you going?" I said, smiling. "Well, I guess I am." "Good-night." "Good-night." I bolted the door, turned out the gas, and "re-retired." "Poor fellow," I thought; "perhaps he relied on me to supply him with material for a column. I might have chatted with him. After all, these reporters have invariably been kind to me. I might as well have obliged him. What is he going to do?" And I dreamed that he was dismissed. I ought to have known better. This morning I opened the Brushville _Express_, and, to my stupefaction, saw a column about me. My impressions of Brushville, that I had no opportunity of looking at, were there. Nay, more. I would blush to record here the exploits I performed during the Franco-Prussian war, as related by my interviewer, especially those which took place at the battle of Gravelotte, where, unfortunately, I was not present. The whole thing was well written. The reference to my military services began thus: "Last night a hero of the great Franco-Prussian war slept under the hospitable roof of Morrison Hotel, in this city." "Slept!" This was adding insult to injury. * * * * * This morning I had the visit of two more reporters. "What do you think of Brushville?" they said; and, seeing that I would not answer the question, they volunteered information on Brushville, and talked loud on the subject. I have no doubt that the afternoon papers will publish my impressions of Brushville. [Illustration] CHAPTER XXXV. THE UNIVERSITY OF INDIANA--INDIANAPOLIS--THE VETERANS OF THE GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC ON THE SPREE--A MARVELOUS EQUILIBRIST. _Bloomington, Ind., March 13._ Lectured yesterday before the students of the University of Indiana, and visited the different buildings this morning. The university is situated on a hill in the midst of a wood, about half a mile from the little town of Bloomington. In a few days I shall be at Ann Arbor, the University of Michigan, the largest in America, I am told. I will wait till then to jot down my impressions of university life in this country. * * * * *