russians towered, at that time, far above the rest,--William,
the wise and energetic king; Bismarck, the resolute and far-seeing
statesman; and Von Moltke, the skilful and consummate soldier. It
was the united action of these three, as much as the valor of the
Prussian army, which not only won the victory, but gathered and
garnered its fruits.

All three of these men are still living (1882-83), and still active,
each in his own sphere. The hale old king, now emperor, shows, at
the age of eighty-six, little lessening of his sturdy powers.
Bismarck, at seventy, still sways with his strong and stubborn will
the affairs of the youthful empire. Von Moltke, at eighty-two,
remains the foremost military figure of Germany.

Von Moltke is a very interesting personage. From his earliest youth
he has followed the profession of arms. He has always been every
inch a soldier. In the course of years, he became an absolute master
of his art. He had military science at his fingers' ends. In every
emergency he knew just what to do.

[Illustration: VON MOLTKE.]

To be sure, he has not been one of those brilliant and dashing
military chiefs who, by their daring exploits and sudden triumphs,
become heroes in the eyes of men. He has been a careful, studious,
deliberate commander, losing sight of nothing, ready for every
exigency, looking well ahead, and closely calculating upon every
possibility of events.

Yet the sturdy old soldier is by no means a dull man outside of his
quarters or the barracks. In a quiet way, he enjoys life in many of
its phases. He has always been a great reader on a great variety of
subjects. He is known as one of the most delightful letter-writers
in Germany. He is fond, too, of poetry, and reads history and
fiction with much delight.

There is a Roman simplicity about Von Moltke's daily life. He lives
in a building which serves as the headquarters of the general staff
of the army in Berlin. Promptly at seven o'clock every morning,
summer and winter, he enters his study, a plain room, with a table
in the centre, covered with maps, papers, and books.

There he takes his coffee, at the same time smoking a cigar. He
proceeds at once to work, and keeps at it till nine, when his mail
is brought to him. At eleven he takes a plain breakfast, after which
he again works steadily till two, when he holds a reception of
officers.

The af