But perhaps its most profitable contributor, next to Mr. Everett, is Henry Ward Beecher. That wonderful gift of the great preacher which enables him to touch so constantly upon subjects nearest to the hearts of most men, would make him invaluable to any paper. Mr. Bonner was struck with this after hearing him preach several times, and resolved to secure his services for the "Ledger." He proposed, to the parson's utter astonishment, that Mr. Beecher should write a story for the paper, and coupled it with the offer of a sum which many persons would consider a fortune. The field was utterly new to Mr. Beecher. Novel-writing was something he had never even thought of; but after some hesitation he accepted the offer. Soon after this, the publication of "Norwood" was begun in the columns of the "Ledger." The story was longer than was at first agreed upon, and Mr. Bonner paid its author a handsome sum in addition to the amount originally offered. The reward was princely, but not out of proportion to the service rendered by Mr. Beecher, who has won thousands of readers for the paper. Mr. Beecher still writes for the "Ledger," and there is no present prospect of his genial and useful contributions coming to a close. Mr. Bonner has made his paper useful to young people as well as those of maturer years. Each number contains articles, briefly and pointedly written, upon some popular and useful topic, so that thousands find not only amusement, but valuable hints and profitable instruction in the "Ledger." It was for a long time the custom of the newspaper press to indulge in sneers at the "Ledger," and, at the least, to treat it with a species of mild contempt. In order to stop this, its proprietor secured and published a series of articles from James Gordon Bennett of "The Herald," Henry J. Raymond of "The Times," and Horace Greeley of "The Tribune." By thus identifying the leading journalists of the country with his enterprise, he effectually silenced the scoffers, and with them the "lesser lights" of the press. It was said by some over-careful persons that the "Ledger" was not a proper paper for young persons to read. Mr. Bonner at once secured the services of the Presidents of the twelve principal colleges of the Union, and articles from each of these gentlemen appeared in his paper. After this it was not to be presumed that a journal which had among its contributors twelve such distinguished guides of youth could be unfit for any one to read. In order to make still less room for doubt on this subject, a series of articles by twelve distinguished clergymen soon after appeared in the "Ledger." Indeed, the greatest care is exercised to exclude from the columns of the paper any thing savoring in the least of impurity. It is the proprietor's aim to make it a help as well as an amusement to its readers, and his object is to elevate, not to degrade them.