before the people for the Presidency, the scale was turned in his favor by the pluck and address of a few adroit Editors.

The list of Editors now at the front in politics, is quite too long for cataloguing in this connection. A large proportion of the political leaders in national, state, and county affairs are writers of "leaders." Besides those already mentioned, there are Brooks, Kinsella, Roosevelt, and E. H. Roberts, from the State of New York alone. The Senate has an honorable array of journalists: Casserly of California, Anthony of Rhode Island, Schurz of Missouri, West of Louisiana, Wilson of Massachusetts, and Brownlow of Tennessee, are, or have been, connected prominently with the press. The men who formerly made and unmade others, are now giving a new meaning to the injunction, "Physician, heal thyself."

Journalism is not the only profession growing in power. Science is now a

distinct and potent field of labor. True philosophy, actual knowledge of nature and her unvarying laws, like the newspaper, is the child of today. There was of old a quasi science, as there were historioglies in Babylon, and the Acta Diurna in ancient Rome; but astrology was not astronomy, nor alchemy chemistry, and those antique vehicles of news no more resembled modern journals than an ox-cart does a telegraph. The reign of Science has only fairly commenced; its warfare upon superstition and vice will be long and desperate; but the end is not doubtful. Sunbeams are mightier than frost fetters, and truth than the chimeras of a mind diseased. The reign of the press is also in its incipiency. The past, with its glories and its horrors, belongs to other professions. The splendors of the future open before the Editor, and its grandest possibilities lie in his pathway. It requires no special prescience to see that the Coming Man is the Coming Editor.

Frank Gilbert.

I'

IN the Court of Honor, just under the arch of the great gateway of the Hotel des Invalides, the visitor may see an old brass field - piece bearing upon its breech the following inscription:

Louis le Grande, au premier, a honore son Hotel des Invalides avec son auguste presence le 9me Mai, 1705. (Louis the Great honored, with his august presence, for the first time, his Hotel des Invalides, on the 9th of May, 1705.)

That was a famous day. The warworn veterans were ranged in line; two thousand brave fellows, all more or less mutilated in war, pressed round the pierced and tattered banners they had won in many hard contested fields.

Some had fought at Fribourg or Rocroy; others at the passage of the Rhine, or the taking of Maestricht; a few of the oldest had assisted at the capture of Rochelle, marched under Richelieu, and remembered Marshal Turenne. Louis XIV. was to pay his first visit to these relics of his battalions, and they were awaiting his coming.

At length, surrounded by a magnificent cortège of guards and nobles, the royal carriage approached. With that delicate courtesy so well understood by the King, the troops in attendance were ordered to fall back as he entered the gateway.

"M. de Breteuil," said the Monarch to the captain of his guard, "the King

of France has no need of an escort when he finds himself in the midst of his veterans."

Followed by the Dauphin, the Marquis de Louvais, and other personages of distinction, Louis carefully inspected the invalids, pausing now and then to address a few kind words to those whom he recognized. One very young lad chanced to attract the King's attention. His face was pale, and he was still suffering from an ugly wound in the neck. "What is your name?" asked Louis. "Maurice, Sire."

"In what battle were you wounded?"

At Blenheim, Sire."

At that word the brow of Louis darkened.

"Under what marshal did you serve?"

Sire, under Monseigneur de Tallard."

"De Tallard can reckon a sufficient number of glorious days to efface the memory of that one," said the Monarch, turning to Louvais. "Even the sun is not without a spot."

And again addressing the young soldier, he asked: Are you happy here?"

"Ah, Site," replied Maurice, "your Majesty's goodness leaves us nothing to wish for."

"And are you all happy, my children?" asked the King, addressing himself to the attentive soldiers.

Military discipline up to this moment had required silence, except from the person addressed; but now the King's question was put to all, and two thousand voices shouted together"Certainement ! Vive le Roi!"

Certainement !

Accompanied by the Governor and a guard of honor from the invalids, ten of whom had each lost an arm and ten each one a leg, while all were seamed and scarred with honorable wounds, Louis inspected every part of the grand establishment. The royal procession quitted the Hotel amid the salutes of the invalids and the noise of

cannon; and the next day, in order to commemorate the royal visit, the words already quoted were engraved on the piece of ordnance.

One hundred and one years after this event, the great Nápoleon, mounting his horse at the gates of St. Cloud, and accompanied only by a Marshal, an aide-de-camp, and a page, rode through the streets at his usual rapid rate towards the Bois de Boulogne. Drawing up at the gate of Maillot, he dismissed the Marshal and the page, and galloping past the spot where the triumphal arch was beginning to rise from its foundations, he directed his course, Rapp, the aide-de-camp, only attending him, along the Champs Elysées toward the Hotel des Invalides. As they approached the elevation where the bastions and towers of the noble building first break upon the view, Napoleon stopped and gazed in silence. "Grand! grand!" he repeated aloud once and again. "Louis XIV. was every inch a king!" And then, riding up to the gates, he dismounted and gave his horse to Rapp.

"I am going to visit my Invalides this morning," he said; "hold my horse my stay will be short."

Passing beneath the arch, and making the military salute to the guard — who, seeing a man in a military cap and undress, over which last was a half-buttoned redingote, supposed him to be a superior officer and allowed him to pass-Napoleon stopped in the great court and looked around him. Two old soldiers, both bowed with years, passed slowly along, so earnestly engaged in conversation that they did not notice him.

"Jerome," asked the elder, "did you see him?"

"No, father," replied the other; “I did not; but never mind, I'll teach him a lesson, thoughtless boy that he is, that he won't forget, once I get my eyes on him."

But, Jerome," responded the elder, "the boy is young, and we must make

allowances for youth. You and I were once boys, you know; I dare say he has good reason for delay.”

Stepping out from behind the buttress that half concealed him, Napoleon addressed the men.

"You are looking for some one," he said; "can I assist you?"

The younger looked up, and spying the gleam of the epaulettes from under the redingote, touched his cap, and answered:

Yes, Colonel, thank you. My father, Maurice, and I are waiting for my truant son, who should have been home an hour ago. He knows that his grandfather requires his help to reach the dormitory, for I, you see, can't do it easily," and he shook his empty sleeve.

"You are a brave fellow," replied the Emperor, "and the boy is doubtless in fault; but why are you out so late, father?"

"Because," again answered the younger, “it is the anniversary of the King under whom my father served, and he always keeps the day."

"What King?"

"His late majesty, Louis XIV.," answered the elder, who had not before joined in the conversation.

"Louis XIV.!" repeated Napoleon, in astonishment. " Are you old enough to have seen le Grande Monarque? Where?"

Here, in the Invalides. He spoke to me and I answered him," replied Maurice; his wrinkled face lighting up at the proud recollection.

Pray, how old are you, comrade?" "If I live till Candlemas, Colonel, I shall be one hundred and twentyone."

"A hundred and twenty-one years!" cried the Emperor. Here, old sol

dier, take my arm; I will do the grandson's service. Lean on me, comrade; I will see you home."

"No, no, Colonel! I'm too old a soldier to break military rules

Nonsense! I order it!" and drawing the veteran's arm within his own, he led him slowly onward.

"You must have entered the Hotel very young, father?"

"Yes, Colonel; I was but eighteen when I fought at Friedlingen, and nineteen when I received my wound at Blenheim which sent me here."

"And you have been here, then, more than one hundred years?"

"Yes, a hundred and two years last Michaelmas. I married here; here my son was born; every comrade I had is long gone; and although there are only boys now in the Invalides, I am very happy since my son and grandson were both pensioned here on account of wounds received in service."

"And what in appearance was the King?" asked the Emperor.

"the very

"Yes," said the old man ; year le Grande Monarque died. I remember it as if it were only yesterday."

"What battles have you been in, my friend?" asked Napoleon.

'Fontenoy, Colonel; Lamfedl, Rosbach, Berghen, and Fribourg. It was at Fribourg I lost my arm; I came here in the year 1763, in the time of Louis XV."

"That poor king," said Napoleon, as if speaking to himself, "who put his hand and seal to a treaty that deprived France of fifteen hundred leagues of coast."

And for the last forty-three years," said the centenarian, "Jerome has watched me like a good and dutiful son. Pity that his son should be so heedless."

his astonishment an invalid of some sixty years old, with two wooden legs, a lost eye, a scarred face, and a broken nose, advancing towards them as quickly as his infirmities would permit.

Jerome began to reproach his truant son, but the latter interrupted him by holding up a flask, a loaf of white bread, and a half dozen lumps of sugar.

"See!" he said; "it was getting these things that delayed me. I knew grandfather would like a draught of warm wine and sugar after the old king's anniversary, so I went to my old friend, Collibert, and persuaded him to give me his allowance of wine, in exchange for my mounting guard in his place to-morrow."

'Well, well," said Jerome; "that was thoughtful of you, my boy; but, meantime, we should have been badly off but for the kindness of this noble colonel, who has made your grandfather lean on him."

Cyprien saluted the Emperor, whom in the increasing darkness he did not recognize, and said:

Now then, sir, with your permission, I will resume my post."

'And an honorable one it is," said Napoleon. "And pray, sir, in what engagement were you wounded?”

"At the battle of Fleurus, Colonel, gained against the Austrians by General Jourdan, now Marshal of the Empire. A volley of grape shot knocked out my eye, defaced my nose, and carried off my legs. But," added he, striking his powerful chest, “my heart was not touched, nor my stomach either; and they have both, I hope, some good days' work in them yet."

Napoleon smiled.

"Ah, grandfather," interrupted Cyprien, impatiently, we are tired of hearing about that monarch of the old régime, who used to go to war with clubbed peruque and silk stockings. He is not to be mentioned in the same year with the Emperor, who lives and dresses like one of ourselves. Is it not so?"

Napoleon hesitated a moment — for the question was addressed to himand then answered coldly:

"You are mistaken, M. Cyprien ; Louis XIV. was a great king! It was he who raised France to the first rank among the nations of Europe; it was he who first marshalled four hundred thousand men on land and one hundred vessels on the sea. He gave us Roussillon, Franche-Compté, Flanders; he seated one of his children on the throne of Spain; and it was he who founded this Hotel - Hotel des Invalides. Since Charlemagne, there has not been a king in France worthy of being compared to him."

and

This eulogium on the monarch whose memory he idolized, caused the dim eyes of old Maurice to sparkle; he tried to straighten himself, and said in a broken voice:

"Bravo! bravo! Ah, Colonel, you are worthy to have served the King! Had you lived in his time he would have made you a field - marshal."

"You must remember, Colonel," said Cyprien, apologetically, "that I never saw grandfather's King Louis XIV., and one gets impatient at constantly hearing him put before our great Emperor."

"Nevertheless," replied Napoleon, "here, in the Invalides, which, to the honor of France and the comfort of her heroes, he established upon such generous ideas, the name of the great monarch should be mentioned only with respect."

Napoleon had resigned his support of the centenarian to the grandson, and was slowly walking beside the three old men, his head bowed down and his hands behind him, when a sudden uproar broke out in the dis

tance. There was an increasing sound of voices, lights were quickly passing to and fro, the clang of spurs and scabbards on the pavements was manifest, and a crowd of persons seemed to be approaching the gateway. The truth was that Rapp had become alarmed. The Emperor had said he should stay but a few minutes, and he had already been absent more than an hour. Naturally enough, the aide-decamp gave the horses in charge to a soldier, and entering the gate sought Marshal Serruvier, the governor, to whom he communicated the fact of Napoleon's being incognito within the walls. The news spread quickly among officers and men, and everybody set out in pursuit of him. No sooner was he discovered than shouts rent the air. "Vive Napoleon! Vivel Empereur!" went up in hearty acclamation from the wounded veterans at the sight of their beloved general.

Cyprien, fixing his eyes upon the supposed colonel, recognized the bronze features as the light fell upon them from a lantern, and exclaimed:

“Ah, Sire, pardon me! I did not know it was you! Father, Grandfather, this is the Emperor himself!"

You, the Emperor, Colonel!" cried the two old men.

'Yes, comrades, I am the Emperor, but I am also your friend, and the friend of every wounded French soldier."

At this moment Serruvier and Rapp came up, followed by a crowd of invalid soldiers, who immediately formed a circle around the group.

"Rapp, you should have had patience to wait for me!" said Napoleon sternly; but almost instantly his frown gave place to a smile, as if a happy thought had struck him, and he continued." But no matter; perhaps it is better as it is. Lend me your cross, Rapp; and yours, Marshal. I will replace them to-morrow."

Then, pointing to the three amazed old men, who still remained near him, he said:

"Help me, Marshal and gentlemen, to recompense three generations of heroes. These brave men have fought in three glorious battles - Friedlingen, Racours, and Fleurus. France owes them honor as well as livelihood. I give your decoration, Marshal, to Jerome; and yours, Lieutenant, to Cyprien; and here, Father, to you I give," taking off his own cross, "my own."

Shouts again rent the air, "Long live Napoleon! Long live the Emperor!"

"Sire," said old Maurice, in a voice trembling with emotion, you have made the remainder of life happy to me and my children!"

"My brave fellow," replied Napoleon, giving his hand, which the old man seized, and pressed respectfully with his lips, "I repeat that I am only discharging a debt which France owes you."

After saying a few words to the hundreds of veterans around him, Napoleon took leave of the Governor, and the crowd opening made way for him to pass to the gate. Rapp had sent back the horses and ordered the carriage with an escort of dragoons to be in attendance. The Emperor entered with his aide - de - camp, while the echoes of the Seine resounded with shouts of Vive l'Empereur!"