ness, 'I can't give you any satisfactory information about it;
for the truth is that I--'

'Stop!' cried the colonel, glancing sternly at his war correspondent and
giving his head one shake after every sentence. 'That you never heard of
Jefferson Brick, sir. That you never read Jefferson Brick, sir. That
you never saw the Rowdy Journal, sir. That you never knew, sir, of its
mighty influence upon the cabinets of Europe. Yes?'

'That's what I was about to observe, certainly,' said Martin.

'Keep cool, Jefferson,' said the colonel gravely. 'Don't bust! oh you
Europeans! After that, let's have a glass of wine!' So saying, he got
down from the table, and produced, from a basket outside the door, a
bottle of champagne, and three glasses.

'Mr Jefferson Brick, sir,' said the colonel, filling Martin's glass
and his own, and pushing the bottle to that gentleman, 'will give us a
sentiment.'

'Well, sir!' cried the war correspondent, 'Since you have concluded to
call upon me, I will respond. I will give you, sir, The Rowdy Journal
and its brethren; the well of Truth, whose waters are black from being
composed of printers' ink, but are quite clear enough for my country to
behold the shadow of her Destiny reflected in.'

'Hear, hear!' cried the colonel, with great complacency. 'There are
flowery components, sir, in the language of my friend?'

'Very much so, indeed,' said Martin.

'There is to-day's Rowdy, sir,' observed the colonel, handing him a
paper. 'You'll find Jefferson Brick at his usual post in the van of
human civilization and moral purity.'

The colonel was by this time seated on the table again. Mr Brick also
took up a position on that same piece of furniture; and they fell to
drinking pretty hard. They often looked at Martin as he read the paper,
and then at each other. When he laid it down, which was not until they
had finished a second bottle, the colonel asked him what he thought of
it.

'Why, it's horribly personal,' said Martin.

The colonel seemed much flattered by this remark; and said he hoped it
was.

'We are independent here, sir,' said Mr Jefferson Brick. 'We do as we
like.'

'If I may judge from this specimen,' returned Martin, 'there must be a
few thousands here, rather the reverse of independent, who do as they
don't like.'

'Well! They yield to the popular mind of the Popular Instructor, sir,'
said the colonel. 'They rile up, sometimes; but in general we have a
hold upon our citizens, b