Pittston Gazette

              K*tulDli»ll«Cl 1 H.'iO, I OL.XLVUINu.44 | Oldest Newspaper in the Wyoming Valley. PITTSTON, LUZERNE COUNTY, PA., FRIDAY, JUNE 17, 1898. A Weekly Local and Fami ly Journal. i II OO a Im ui AUvauce P 1 bC- Rs/ D^ WUU1U LK) lai'Killg ID Clearness, or WOU1U pdstf fcB any of tbe puzzling and unnecessary ambiguities that characterized tbe languages spoken on the eartb. tive planet was tUJCxi, aa we couia see, witn innao confident tbat our ships nad vanished at least from the naked eye view of our enemies beneath, a brief consultation was held. Beliiucl all was hriliiaut witn sunsbiue, Out before us the face of Mars ginduaily disappeared in tbe deepening gluom. Through the darkness far away we could behold magnificent beams ot electric ligh't darting across the curtain of night and evidently serving to illuminate towns and cities that lay be- Unaware what the nature of this mysterious smoke might be and fearing it was something more than a shield for the planet, and might be destructive to life, we fled before it, as before the onward sweep of a pestilence. At the end of 28 days, as measured by terrestrial time, since our departure from the asteroid we arrived iu the sky of Mars. itauts. But that waa not all. We had not come with peaceful intentions. We were to make war ou this uew world. officer. " Why did you not report this before?" lemanded Mr. Edison. "We shall not find them making bus and shea of stones, sticks and other inanimate objecta," aaid one of tbe Auiericau linguists. "Tbey mast certainly bave got rid of all tbat nonsense long It was determined to adbere to our original programme and to circumnavigate Murs in every direction before proceeding to open the war. "Because, sir," was the reply, "the discovery was not made until after we arrived close to Mtirs, and since thea there has been so much excitement that 1 have hardly had time to make an investigation and find out what the precise condition of affairs is. Besides, I thought, "we should laud upon the planet, and. then we would be able to renew our sup*- For a long time tbe ruddy planet bad been growing larger and more formidable, gradually turning from a huge star into a great red moon, and tbeu expanding more and more until it began to shut out from sight the constellations behiud it. The curious markings ou its surface, which from tbe earth can only be dimly glimpsed with a powerful telescope, began to reveal themselves clearly to our naked eyes. Deducting our losses, we had not more than H40 men left. With these we were to uudertake tbe conquest of a world coutainiug we oould uot say how many millions) Directly underneath the flagship, one of the aspiring smoke peaks grew with most portentous swiftness, and, notwithstanding all our efforts, in a little while it had enveloped ns. ago." Tbe overwhelming forces shown by the enemy had intimidated some even of tbe most courageous of our men, but still it was universally felt tbat it would uot do to retreat without a blow struck. neath "Ab," said a French professor from the Sorbonue, one of tbe makers of tbe never to be finished dictionary, "it will be like tbe language of my country, transparent, similar to the diamuud and sparkling aa ia tbe fountain." We pushed on Into the night for 200 or 80V miles over tbat part of the continent of (Jbryse whose inhabitants were doubtless enjoying tbe deep sleep that accompanies the dark hours immediately preceding tbe dawn. Still everywhere splendid clusters of light lay like fallen constellations upon the groond, indicating the sites of great towns, which, like those of the earth, never sleep. Our enemies, instead of beiug below us iu the scale of intelligence, were, we had every reason to believe, greatly our superiors. They had proved that tbey possessed a command over the powers of nature such as we, up to tbe time when Mr. Edison made bis inventions, had not even dreamed that it waa possible for us to obtain. Several of us were standing on the deck of the electrical ship. We were almost stifled by the smoke and were compelled to take refuge within the car, where, until the electric lights had been turned on, darkness so black that it oppressed the strained eyeballs prevailed. But in this brief experience, terrifying though it was, we had learned one thing. The smoke would kill by strangulation, but evidently there was nothing specially poiscfjous in its nature. This fact might be of no use to us in our subsequent proceedings. tDlies." I closcly watched Mr. Edison's expression iu order to see how this most alarming news would affect bitu. A1--I though he fully comprehended its fearful significance, he did not lose his self command. Tbe more we saw of the power of the Martians tbe more we became convinced that there would be no hope for tbe eartb if these enemies ever again effected a landing upon its surface, tbe more especially since our squadron contained nearly all of the earth's force that would be effective in such a contest. "I think," said a German enthusiast, "that it will be a universal language, the Volapuk of Mara, spoken by all tbe inhabitants of that planet" I bave related bow even before we had reached the asteroid Mars began to present a most imposing appearance as we saw it with our telescopes. Now, however, that it was close at hand, the naked eye view of the planet was more wonderful than anything we had been able to see with telescopes wbeu at a greater distance. tical instead of a circular orbit, and m this ellipse it would continue to revolve around the asteroid in tbe olioiacter of a satellite. Jn the meantime some of the skulkers hose flight I bave referred to began to 3turn, chapfalleu, but rejoicing in the CHAPTER XIII. "But all these speculations," broke in Mr. Edison, "do not help you much. Why not begiu in a practical manner by finding out what the Martian oalls himself, for instance?" It was true that at present we appeared to have tbe advantage, both in our electrical ships and in our means of offense. The disintegrator was at least as powerful an engine of destruction as any tbat the Martians had yet shown that tbey possessed. It did not seem tbat in that respect they could possibly excel us. "Well, well." he said, "then it will become necessary tor us to act quickly. Evidently we cannot wait for the smoke to clear off, even if there were any hope ' itv niq»rDii0 W*» must Bet down on Mars now, having conquered it first, if possible; but anyway we must get down there in order to avoid starvation. But this scene, although weird and beautiful, oould give us little of the kind of information we were in search □f. If tbe direction of tbe original impulse were at more than a right angle to tbe radius of tbe asteroid, then tbe flying body would pass out to a greater or less distance iu space in an elliptical orbit, eventually coming back again and falling upon tbe asteroid, but not at the same spot from which it bad departed. With Mr. Edison and the other men of science away they would not be able at home to construct such engines as we possessed or to manage tbem even if tbey were constructed. isappearance of tbe danger. Several of lem, I am ashamed to say, had been .. rmy officers. Vet possibly some excuse could be made for the terror by which they bad been overcome No man has a right to bold bis fellow beings to account for tbe line of conduct they may pursue under circumstances which are uot only entirely unexampled iu their experience, but almost beyond the power of tbe imagination to picture. Accordingly it was resolved to turn back eastward until we had arrived in the twilight space separating day and night, and then hover over the planet at that point, allowing it to turn beneath us so that, as we looked down, we should see in succession the entire circuit of the globe of Mars while it rolled under our eyes. This seemed a good suggestion, and accordingly several of the bystanders began an expressive pantomime, intended to indicate to tbe giant, who waa following all their motions with bia eyes, that tbey wished to know by what name be called himself. Pointing their fingers to theiTown breasts, they repeated, one after tbe otiier, tbe word "man." We were approaching tbe southern hemisphere of Mars in about latitude 46 degrees south. It was near tbe time of the vernal equinox in that hemisphere of the planet, and under tbe stimulating influence of tbe spring sun, rising higher and higher every day, some such awakeniDg of life aud activity upon its surface as occurs on tbe eartb under similar circumstances was evidently going ou. "This spoils our plans," said the commander. "There is no use of remaining here for the present; let us see how far this thing extends." Our planet had staked everything on a single throw. 1 "It ia very lucky," be continued, "that we have ten days' supply left. A great deal can be done in ten days." During tbe brief war with tbe Martians upou the earth it bad beeu gunpowder against a mysterious force as much stronger than guupowder as the latter was superior to the and arrows tbat preceded it. These considerations again steeled our hearts and made us bear up as bravely aa possible in the face of tbe terrible odds tbat confronted us. At first we rose straight away to a height of 200 or 300 miles, thus passing entirely beyond tbe sensible limits of the atmosphere and far above the highest point that tbe smoke could reach. So many took part in these singular experiments, wbicb assumed rather the appearance of outdoor sports than of scientific demonstrations, that iu a short time we bad provided tbe asteroid with a very large number of little moons or satellites of gold, which revolved around it in orbits of various degrees of eilipticity, taking ou the average about three-quarters of an hour to complete a circuit. Since, on completing a revolution, they must necessarily pass through the point from which tbey started, tbey kept us constantly ou tbe qui vive to avoid being knocked over by them as tbey swept around in their orbits. A few hours after this tbe commander called me aside and said: Turning tbe noses of our electrical ships toward the west, we began out oiroumnav igatiou. "I have thought it all out I am going to reconstruct some of oar disintegrators so as Us increase their range and their power. Then I am going to have some of tbe astronomers of tbe expedition locate for me tbe most vulnerable points upon tbe planet, where tbe population is densest and a bard blow would have tbe most effect, and I am going to pound away at tbem through the smoke and see whether we cannot draw tbem out of their shell." Paralyzing terror had evidently seised them with tbe sudden comprehension of tb'- unprecedented singularity of their situation. Millions of miles away from tbe eartb, confronted ou an asteroid by these diabolical monsters from a maleficient planet, who were ou tbe point of destroying them with a strange torment of death, perhaps it was really more than human nature, deprived of the support of human surroundings, could bave been expected to bear. Tbe rotation of Mars on its axis ia performed in a period very little longer than tbat of tbe earth's rotation, so tbat tbe length of the day and night in tbe world of Mars is only some 40 minutes longer than their length upon the earth. From this commanding point of view our line of sight extended to an immense distance over tbe surfaoe of Mars in all directions. Everywhere tbe same appearance—the whole planet was evidently covered with the smoke. If our prisoner had been a stupid savage, of oourse any such attempt as tbia to make him understand would bave been idle, tiut it must be remembered that we were dealing with a personage who had presumably inherited from bundnds of generations the results of a civilization and an intellectual advance measured by tbe constant progress of millions of years. There bad been no comparison whatever between tbe offensive means employed by the two parties in the struggle on tbe earth. Around tbe south pole were spread immC nse fields of snow and ice, gleaming with great brilliance. Cuttiug deep into tbe borders of these icefields, we oould see broad channels of open water, indicating the rapid breaking of tbe grip of tbe frost. At first we rose to a still greater height, iu order more effectually to escape the watchful eyes of our enemies, and then, after having moved rapidly several hundred miles toward the west, we dropped down again within easy eyeshot of the surface of the planet and commenced our inspection. But tbe genius of one man bad suddenly put us on the level of our euemiea in regard to fighting capacity. Ill thus remaining suspended over the planet, on the line of daybreak, so to (peak, we believed that we should be peculiarly safe from detection by the eyes of the inhabitants. Even astronomer are not likely to be wide awake just at the peep of dawn. Almost all of the inhabitants, we confidently believed, would 6till be sound asleep upon that part of the planet passing directly beneath us, and those who were awake would not be likely to watch for unexpected appearances in the sky. A complete tolegrapbio system evidently connected all the strategic poinia upon Mars, so that, at a signal from the central station, the wonderful curtain could be instantaneously drawn over the entire face of the planet In order to make certain that no part of Mars remained uncovered we dropped down again nearer to the upper level of the smoke clouds and then oompletely circumnavigated the planet It was thought possible that on the night side no smoke would be found and that it would be practicable for us to make a descent there. Almost directly beneath us was a broad oval region, light red in color, to which terrestrial astronomers had given the name of Hellas. Toward the south, between Hellas and the borders of the polar ice, was a great belt of darkness that astronomers bad always been inclined to regard as a aea. Looking toward the north, we could perceive the immense red expanses of the continents of Mars, with the long curved line of the Syrtis Major, or "The Hourglass Sea," sweeping through the midst of them toward the north until it disappeared under the horizon. Then, too, our electrical ships were far more effective for their purpose than the projectile carb used by the Martians. In fact, the principle upon wbioh they were based was at bottom so simple that it seemed astonishing the Martians had not hit upon it. Accordingly we were not very much astonished when, after a few repetitious of the experiment, the Martian—one of whose amis bad been partially released from its bonds in order to give him a little freedom of motion—imitated the actiou of bis interrogators*by pressing his finger over bis heart. When we originally reached Mars, as I have related, it was at a point in its southern hemisphere, in latitude 45 degrees south and longitude 75 degrees east, that we first closely approached its surface. Underneath us was the land called Hellas, and it was over this land ®f Hellas that the Martian air fleet had soddenly made its appearanoe. With bis expert assistants Mr. Edison set to work at once to transform a number of the disintegrators into still more formidable engines of the same description. One of these new weapons having been distributed to each of the members of the squadron, the next problem waa to decide where to strike. Those who, as already described, had run with so great a speed that tbey were projected, all unwilling, into space, rising in elliptical orbits from tbe surface of tbe planet, describing great curves in what might be denominated its sky, and tben coming back again to tbe little globe on another side, were so filled with the wonders of their remarkable adventure that tbey bad almost forgotten tbe terror which had inspired it Finally tbe signal was given for all to embark, and with great regret the savants quitted tbeir scientific games and prepared to return to tbe electrio ships. Mr. Edison himself was never tired of saying with reference to this matter: Just on tbe moment of departure tbe fact waf announced by one wbo had been making a little calculation on a bit of paper tbat tbe velocity with wbicb a body must be thrown in order to escape forever from tbe attraction of tbe asteroid and to pass on to an infinite distance in any direction was only about 42 feet in a second. "1 cannot understand why the Martians did not invent these things. They have given ample proof that they understand electricity better than we da Why should they have resorted to the comparatively awkward and bungling means of getting from oue planet to another that they have employed when they might have ridden through the solar system in such conveyances as ours with perfect ease? Besides our height was so great that notwithstanding the numbers of the squadron we could not easily be seen from the surface of the planet, and if seen at all we might be mistaken for high flying birds. Our westward motion, while at a great height above the planet, had brought us over another oval shaped land called Noaoliia, surrounded by the dark ocean—the Mare Erytrseum. Now approaching nearer the surface our course was changed so as to carry us toward theeauator of Mars. When we first examined the snrfaoa of the planet, it will be remembered that we bad regarded the Lake of tbe Sun and its environs as being tbe very focus of tbe planet While it might also be a strong point of defense, yet an effective blow struck there would go to tbe enemy's heart and be more likely to bring the Martians promptly to terms * than anything else. Then, opening bis moutb, be gave utterance to a sound wbicb (book tbe air of tbe car like tbe hoarse roar of a lion. He seemed himself surprised by the noise he made, for be bad not been used to speak in so dense an atmosphere. CHAPTER XIV. But when we had arrived on that side of Mars which was turned away from the sun we no longer saw beneath us, as we had done on our previous visit to the night hemisphere of - tbe planet, brilliant groups and clusters of electrio light beneath us. All was dark. There was nothing surprising in what bad occurred to theui the moment one considered tbe hws of gravitatiou on tbe asteroid, but their stories aroused an intense interest among all wbo listened to them. Crossing and recrossing the red continents in every direction were the canals of Schiaparelli. Here we remained then through the entire course of 24 hours and saw in succession as they passed from night into day beneath our feet the land of Cbryse, the great continent of Tharsis, the ourious region of intersecting canals which puzzled astronomers on the earth bad named the Gordian Knot, the continental lands of Memnonia, Amazonia and i£ulia, the mysterious center where hundreds of vast canals came together from every direction, called the Triviun Charontis; the vast circle of Elysium, 1,000 miles across, and completely surrounded by a broad green canal; the continent of Libya, wbioh, as 1 remembered, bad been half oovered by a tremendous inundation, whose effects were visible from the earth in the year 1S89, and finally the long, dark sea of the Syrtis Major, lying directly south of the land of Hellas. Manifestly it would be quite easy to impart such a speed as tbat to tbe chunks of gold that we held in our hands. Our ears were deafened aud confused, and we recoiled in astonishment, not to say half in terror. Plentifully sprinkled over the surface we could see brilliant points, some of dazzling brightness, outshining the day- "And besides," Mr. Edison would add, "I cannot understand why they did not nmploy the principle of harmonic vibrations iu the construction of their engiues of war. The ligbtninglike strokes that they deal from their machines are no doubt equally powerful, bat I think the range of destruction covered by the disintegrators is greater." We passed over the curious, half drowned oontinent known to terrestrial astronomers as the region of Deucalion, then across another sea or gulf, until we found ourselves floating at a height of perhaps five miles above a great continental land, at least 3,000 miles broad from east to west, and which I immediately reoognized as that to which astronomers bad given the various names of Aeria, Edom, Arabia and Eden. CHAPTER XV. In fact, so completely did tbe great shell of smoke conceal tbe planet that the place occupied by tbe latter seemed to be simply a vast black bole in tbe firmament' Lord Kelvin was particularly interested, aud while Mr. Edison was has- The first thing, then, was to locate the Lake of the Sun on the smoke hiddeu surface of tbe planet beneath us. This was a problem that tbe astronomers could readily solve. "Hurrah 1" exclaimed one. "Let's send some of this back to the earth." With an ugly grin distorting bis face as if be enjoyed our discomfiture tbe Martian repeated the motion and tbe sound: "Where is the earth?" asked another. Being appealed to, several astronomers turued their eyes in the dirootion of the huu, where the black firmament was ablaze with stars, and in a moment recognized the earth star shilling there with the moon attending close at band. "K-r-r-r-r-r-h I" The sun was hidden behind it, and so dense was tbe smoke that even the solar rays were unable to penetrate it, and consequently there was no atmospheric halo visible around the ooncealed planet Fortunately in tbe flagship itself there was one of these star gazing gentlemen who had made a specialty of tha study of Mars. That planet as I have already explained, was now in opposition to the earth. The astronomer bad records in bis pocket which enabled him, by a brief calculation, to say just when the Lake of tbe Sun would be on the meridian of Mars aB seen from tba earth. Our chronometers still kept terrestrial time; we knew the exact number of days and hours that had elapsed since we had departed, and so it waaj It was not articulate to our ears, and not to be represented by any combination of letters. "Faith," exclaimed a Dublin university professor, "if that's what they call themselves, how shall we ever translate their names when we oom« to write the history of the conquest?" However, these questions must remain open until we could effect a landing on Mars and learn something of the oondition of things there. " All tbe sky around was filled with stars, but their countless host suddenly disappeared when our eyes turned in tbe direction of Mara Tbe great blaok globe blotted them out without beiug visible itself. "There," said one, "j« the earth. Can you throw straight euough to bit it?" Here the spectacle became of breathless interest. * The thing that gave us the most uneasiness was the fact that we did not yet know what powers the Martians might have in reserve. It was but natural to suppose that here, on their own ground, they would possess means of defense even more effective than the offensive engines they had employed iu attacking enemies so many millions of miles from home. "Wonderful! Wonderful!" "Who oould have believed it I'*- Such were the exclamations beard ou all sides. "We'll try," was the reply, and immediately several threw huge golden nuggets in the direction of our far away world, endeavoring to impart to them at least the required velocity of 43 feet in a second which would insure their passing beyond the attraction of the asteroid and, if there should be no disturbance ou the way and if the aim were accurate, their eventual arrival upon the earth. "Whist, mon," replied a professor from the University of Aberdeen, "let us whip the gillravaging villains first, and then we cau describe them by any intitulation that may rait our deesposition.""Apparently we can do nothing here," said Mr. Edison. "Let us return to the daylight side. When at first we were suspended above Hellas, looking toward the north, the northeast and the northwest, we had seen at a distance some of these great red regions and bad perceived the ourious network of canals by which they were intersected. But that was a faroff and imperfect view. The excitement and interest which we all experienced were so great that not oue of us took a wink of sleep during the entire 24 hours of our marvelous watch. When we had arrived near the point where we had been when tbe wonderful phenomenon first made its appearance, we paused, and then, at tbe suggestion of one of the chemists, dropped close to the surfaoe of the smoke curtain, which bad now settled down into comparative quiescence, in order that we might examine it a little more critically.possible by placing ourselves in a The beginning of our linguistic conquest was certainly not promising, at least if measured by our acquirement of words, but from another point of view it was very gratifying, inasmuch as it was plain that the Martian understood what we were trying to do and was, for the present at least, disposed to aid us. between tbe earth and Mars to be practically in the situation of an astronomer It was important that we should waste no time, and it was equally important that we should select the most vulnerable point for attack. It was self evident, therefore, that our first duty would be to reoonnoiter the surface ci( the planet and determine its weakest point of defense. in bis observatory at home. There are ono or two things of special interest amid the multitude of wonderful observations that wo made which I must mention here on account of their connection with the important events that followed soon after. Then it was only neoessary to watt, for tbe hour when tbe Lake of tbe Sun "Here's for you, old earth," said one of the throwers. "Good luck and more gold to you I" Now, when we were near at band and straight above one of these singular lands, the magniflcenoe of the panorama surpassed belief. In a very thort time he had turned teacher. light. There was also an astonishing variety iu the colors of the broad expanses beneath us. Activity, vivacity and beauty, such as we were utterly unprepared to behold, expressed their presence ou all sides. would be upon tbe meridian of Mars in* order to be certain what tbe true direo-j tion of tbe latter from thd flagship was. Having thus located the heart of otrl foe behind its shield of darkness, we prepared to strike. "I have ascertained," said Mr. ifidison, "tbe vibration period of the smoke, so that it will be easy for us to shatter it into invisible atoms. Yon will see that every stroke of tbe disintegrators will open a bole through the black curtain. If tbeir field of destruction could be made wide enough, we might In tbaft manner clear away tbe entire covering of smoke, but all that we shall really be able to do will be to puncture it with boles, which will perhaps enable us to catch glimpses of the surfaoe beneath. In that manner we may be able more effectually to concentrate our fire upon tbe most vulnerable points." If these precious missiles ever reached the earth, we knew that they would plunge into the atmosphere like meteors and that probably the heat develdped by their passage would melt and dissipate them in golden vapors before they could touch the ground. ; o* Jbr? These efforts to learn the language of Marti were renewed and repeated every few hours, all the experience, learning and genius of the squadrou being concentrated upon tbe work, and tbe result waa tbat in tbe course of a few days we bad actually succeeded in learning a dozen or more of tbe Martian's words and were able to make biin understand us wben we pronounced them, aa well as to understand bim wben our ears bad become accustomed to tbe growling of his voice. From the earth about a dozen of the principal oauttln crossing the continent beneath as had been perceived, bat we saw hundreds, nay, thousands of theml Just west of the land of Chryse we saw the smaller land of Ophir, in the midst of which is a singular spot called the Juventas Fons, and this Fountain of Youth, as our astronomers, by a sort of prophetic inspiration, had named it, proved later to be one of the most incredible marvels on the planet Mars. Tbe flagship waa driven into tbe smoke cloud so deeply that for a minute we were again enveloped in night. A quantity of the smoke was entrapped in a glass jar. At first Mr. Edison contemplated sending the various ship* in different directions around the planet in order that the work of exploration might be quickly accomplished. But npou second thought it seemed wiser to keep the squadron together, thus diminishing the chance of disaster. The excitement on the flagship aud among the other members of the squadron was iouoeuw. It was certainly a thrilling scene. Here, right under our feet, lay the world we bad oome to do battle with. Its appearances, while recalling in some of their broader aspects those which it had presented when viewed from our observatories, were far more strange, complex and wonderful than any astronomer had ever dreamed of. Suppose all of oar anticipations about Mars should prove to have been wrong, after all? It was a double system, intended both for irrigation aud for protection, and far more marvelous in its completeness than the boldest speculative minds among oar astronomers had ever dared to imagine. |l'c rotte to an immetite height. Vet there was a chance tbat some of them—if tbe aim were true—might survive tbe fiery passage through the atmosphere aud fall upon the surface of our planet, where perhaps they would afterward be picked up by a prospector and lead bim to believe tbat be bad struck a new bonanza. Rising again into the sunlight, the chemists began au examination of the constitution of the smoke. They were unable to determine its precise character, but they found that its density was astonishingly slight. This accounted for the rapidity with which it bad risen and the great height which it had attained in the comparatively light atmosphere of Mars. tening preparations to quit tbe asteroid and resume our voyage to Mars Lord Kelvin aud a number of other scientific men instituted a series of remarkable experiments. Farther to the west, and north from the great ooutiuent of Tharsis, we beheld the immense oval shaped land of Thaumasia, containing in its center the celebrated Lake of the Sun, a circular body of water not less than 600 miles in diameter, with dozens of great oanals running away from it like the spokes of a wheel in every direction, thus con uectinK it with the ocean which surrounds it on the south aud east and with the still larger canals that enoircle it toward the north and west. Besides the commander wished to see with bis own eyes the exaot situation of the various parts of the planet, where it might appear advisable for us to begin our assault. "Ha, that's what I always said," exclaimed a veteran from one of our great observatories. "Mars is red because its •oil and its vegetation are red." It was one of the most laughable things imaginable to see Lord Kelvin, dressed in bin airtight suit, making tremendous jumps into empty space. It reminded me forcibly of what Lord Kelvin, then plain William Thompson, and Professor Blackburn had done when ■pending a summer vacation at tbe seaside while they were undergraduates of Cambridge university. Tbey bad spent all their time, to the surprise of onlookers, iu spinning rounded stones on tbe beacb, their object beiug to obtain a practical solution of tbe mathematical problem of "precession." But until we returned to the earth it would be impossible for us to tell what had become of the golden gifts which we had launched into space for our mother planet. Finally one day tbe prisoner, who seemed to be in an unusually cheerful frame of mind, indicated tbat be oarried In his breast some object which be wished us to see. And certainly appearances indicated that he was right. Thus far we had remained suspended at so great a height above the planet that we had hardly entered into the per ceptible limits* of its atmosphere, and there was no evidence that we had been seen by the inhabitants of Mars, bat before starting on oar voyage of exploration it was determined to drop down closer to tbe surface in order that we might the rnorp certainly identify tbe localities over which we passed. "It is evident," said one of the chemists, "that this smoke does not extend down to the surface of the planet From what the astronomers say as to the density of the air on Mars it is probable that a clear spaoe of at least a mile in height exists between the surface of Mars and the lower limit of the smoke curtain. Just how deep the latter is we can only determine by experiment, bat It would not be surprising if the thickness of this great blanket which Mars has thrown around itself should prove to be a quarter or half a mile." There were no green trees, and there was no green grass. Both were red, not of a uniform red tint, bat presenting an immense variety of shades which produced a most brilliant effect, fairly dazzliug oar eyes. There coald be no longer any questlun that it was • world which, if not absolutely teeming with inhabitants, like a gigantic anthill, at any rate bore on every side tbe marks of tbeir presence aud of tbeir inoredible undertakings and achievements. "All aboard!" was (he signal, aud, the squadron having assembled under tbe lead of the flagship, we started again for Mars. With our assistauoe be pulled out a book | Everything being prepared, and the entire squadron having assembled to watch the effect of the opening blow and be ready to follow it op, Mr. Edison himself poised one of the new disintegrators, which was too large to be carried in the hand, and following the direction indicated by the calculations Actually It was a book, not very unlike tbe books which we have upon the earth, but printed, of course, in characters tbat were entirely strange and unknown to us. Yet these characters evidently gave expression to a highly intellectual language. All those who were standing by at the moment uttered a shout of wonder aud of delight, aud tbe cry of "A book! A book!" ran around tbe cirale, and tbe good news was even promptly communicated to some of the neighboring electric ships of the squadron Several other learned men were summoned in haste from them to examine our new treasure. This Lake of tbe Sun came to play a great part in our subsequent adventures. It was evident to us from the beginning that it was the chief center of population on the planet. It lies in latitude 25 degrees south and longitude about 90 degrees west. But what trees! And what grass! And what flowers! This time, as it proved, there was to be no further interruption, aud when next we paused it was in the presence of the world inhabited by our enemies and facing their frowning batteries. Here and tbere clouds of smoke arose and spread slowly through tbe atmosphere beneath as. Floating higher above tbe surface ot tbe planet were clouds of vapor, assuming tbe familiar forms of stratas and cumulus with which we were acquainted upon tbe earth. Oar telescopes showed that even tbe smaller trees must be 200 or 300 feet in height, and there were forests of giants, whose average height was evidently at least 1,000 feet. This maneuver nearly got as into serious trouble. Immediately Lord Kelvin was imitated by a dozen others. With what seemed very slight effort they projected themselves straight upward, rising to a height of 400 feet or more, and then ■lowly settling back again to tbe surface of tbe asteroid. Tbe time of rise and fall combined was between three and four minutes. of the astronomer be launched the vibratory discharge into the ocean of blackness beneath. We did not find it so easy to start from the asteroid as it had been to start from tbe earth—tbat is to say, we could not so readily generate a very high velocity.When we bad arrived within a distance of three miles from the surfaoe of Mars, we suddenly perceived approaching from tbe eastward a large airship which was navigating tbe Martian atmosphere at a height of perhaps half a milo above the ground. Having completed the circuit of the Martian globe we were moved by tbe same feeling which every disooverer of uew lands experiences and immediately returned to oar original place above the land of Hellas, because since that was the first part of Mars that we bad seen we felt a greater degree of familiarity with it than with any other portion of the planet, and there, in a certain sense, we felt "at home." "That's all right," exclaimed tbe enthusiast I have jast quoted. "I knew it would be so. Tbe trees are big for the same reason that the men are, because tbe planet is small, and they can grow big without beooming too heavy to stand." "Anyhow," said one of the United States army officers, "they have dodged out of sight, and 1 dou't see why we should not dodge in ai*d get at them. If there is clear air under the smoke, as you think, why couldn't the ships dart down through the curtain and come to a close tackle with the Martians?" Instantly there opened beneath us m huge, well shaped hole, from wbioh tha black clouds rolled violently back in every direction. These clouds, however, seemed npou the whole to be much less dense than those to which we were accustomed at home. They bad, too, a peculiar iridesceut beauty, as if tbere was something iu their composition or tbeir texture which split op the chromatic elements of tbe sunlight and thus produced internal rainbow effects that caused some of tbe heavier cloud masses to resemble immense collections of opals, alive with the play of ever changing colors, and magically suspended above the planet. In consequence of tbe comparatively small size of tbe asteroid its electrio influence was very much less thau that of the earth, and notwithstanding tbe appliances which we possessed for intensifying the electrical effect it was not possible to produce a sufficient repulsion to start us off for Mars with auything like tbe impulse which we bad received from tbe earth on our original departure. Through this opening W9 saw tha gleam of brilliant lights benaath. We had made a hit. On this little planet tbe acceleration of gravity or the velocity acquired by a falling body iu one second was only four-fifths of an inch. A body required an entire minute to fall a distance of only 120 feet. Consequently it was more like gradual settling thau falling. The figures of these men of scienoe, rising and sinking in this manner, appeared like so many gigautic inariopettes bobbing pp and down in a pneumatic bottle. This airship moved rapidly on to a point nearly beneath us, when it suddenly paused, reversed its course and evidently made signals, tbe purpose* of which was not at first evident to us. Tbe Martian, whose good nature bad manifestly been growing day after day, watched our inspection of bis book with evidences of great interest, not amain gled with amusement. Finally be beckoned tbe bolder of tbe book to bis side, aud placing bis broad finger upon one of tbe buge letters—if letters they were, for tbey more nearly resembled tbe characters employed by the Chinese printer—he uttered a sound which we. of course, took to be a word, but which was different from auy we bad yet beard. Then he pointed to one after another of us standing around. Flashing in tbe sun on all sides were tbe roofs of metallio buildings, which were evidently the only kind of edifices that Mars possessed. At any rate, if stone and wood were employed in tbeir construction both were completely covered with metallic plates. "It is the Lake of tHe Sun!" shouted the astronomer who furnished the calculation by means of which its position had been discovered. "It would not do at all," said the commander "We might simply run ourselves into an ambush. No; we must stay outside, and if possible fight them from here." But, as it proved, our enemies were on t,he watch for us there. We had almost forgotten them, so'absorbed were we by the great spectacles that bad been unrolling themselves beneath our feet. Bat in a short time their meaning became perfectly plain, when we found ourselves surrounded by at least 20 similar aerostats approaching swiftly from different sides. And, indeed, it was the Lake of the dun. While the opening in the olouda ap orapsI am I orig- . lid re- I for  me is ' d of it, have ! 'uisbine I |sT eaid J; two elded as baa ctlternadown■A llfl stand a Idenly i jf the ) mem- • |SJ ' asked \\ bim. V'  , com- It was a urtld pluni/e. The utmost velocity tbat we could geuerate did not exceed three miles in a second, and to get this required our utmost efforts. In fact, it bad pot seemed possible tbat we should attain even so great a speed as that. It was far more than we could have expected, and even Mr. Edison was surprised as well as greatly gratified when be found tbat we were moving with the velocity that I This added immensely to the warlike aspect of the planet, for warlike it was. Everywhere we recognized fortified stations, glittering with an array of the polished knobs of lightning maobines, such as we had seen in the land of Hellaa "Tliey can't keep this thing ever," said tbe officer. "Perhi smoke will clear off after awh: tbeu we will have a cbauce." We ought, of course, to have been a little more cautions in approaching the place where they first caught sight of us, since we might have known that they would remain on the watch near that spot. As we continued to study tbe phenom«na that were gradually unfolded beneath as we thought that we coald detect in many places evidences of the existence of strong fortifications. The planet of war appeared to be prepared for tbe attacks of enemies. Since, as oar own experience bad shown, it some* times waged war with distant planets it was but natural that it should be found prepared to resist foes who might be disposed to revenge themselves for injuries suffered at its bands. It was a great mystery to us where so many airships had been concealed previous to their sudden appearance in answer to tbe signals. "Not much hope of that, afraid," said the chemist who h iually spoken. "This smoke ooi main floating in the atmosphere weeks, and the only wonder to how they ever expect to get r, when they think their enemies gone and they want some sD again." "Let us try tbat," said Mr. Edison, very much interested in tbe experiments. But the mystery was quickly solved when we saw detaobing itself from tbe surface of tbe planet beneath us, where, while it remained immovable, its oolor had blended with that of tbe soil so as to render it invisible, another of tbe mysterious ships. Both of us jumped together. At first with great swiftness, but gradually losing speed, we rose to an immense height straight from the ground. When we had reached the utmost limit of our flight, we seemed to come to rest for a moment and then began slowly, bpt with accelerated velocity, to sink back ftgain to the planet. It was not only a peculiar but a delicious sensation, and but for strict orders which were issued that tbe electric sbipa should be immediately prepared for departure our entire company might have remained for an indefinite period enjoying this new kind of athletic exercise iu a world Where gravitation had become so bumhie tbat it could be trifled with. From the land of Edom, directly over tbe equator of tbe planet, we turned our But at any rate they bad seen us, and it was now too late to think of taking them again by surprise. "Ah," explained everybody, the truth being apparent, "that la the word by which tbe Martians designate us. They have a name, then, for tbe inhabitants of tbe eartb." have named. rxnia o\c jF They on their part had a surprise in store for us which was greater than any we had yet experienced. We vure still about 6,000,000 miles from Mrrs, so that, traveling three miles iu a second, we should require at least 23 days to reach the immediate neighborhood of the planet. Then our startled eyes beheld on all sides these formidable looking enemies rising from the ground beneath as like so many gigantic insects disturbed by a sudden alarm. We saw their ships, and from various points on tbe ground beueath there rose high in tbe air and carried by invisible currents in every direction immense volumes of black smoke, or vapor, which I lotted out of sight everything below »num. "All that is mere speculation Mr. Edison. "Let us Ret at sorn practical. We mubt do one things—either attack them sb they are or wait until the ami cleared away. The only other tive, tbat of plunging blindly through the curtain, is at preset, to be thought of." "Or perhaps it is rather the name (or the earth itself," said oue. As bad been expected, our prisoner now proved to be of very great assistance to us. Apparently be took a certain pride in exhibiting to strangers from • distant world the beauties and the won* ders of his own planet. Meanwhile we bad pleuty of occupation to make the time pass quickly. Our prisoner waa transported along with us, aud we now began our attempts to ascertain what his language was, and if possible to master it ourselves. But this could not, of coarse, be &! «nce determined. Anyhow, the word, whatever its precise meaning might be, bad now been added to oar vocabulary, although as yet our organ* of speech proved unable to reproduce it in a recognizable form. In a short time the atmosphere a mile or two below us, aud to a distance of perhaps 20 miles around in every direotiou, was alive with airships of various sizes, aud some of most extraordinary forms, exchanging signals, rushing to and fro, but all finally concentrating beueath the plaoe where our squadron was suspended. South, north, west and east tbe curtain of blackness rapidly spread, until the whole face of the planet as far as our eyes cC«»d reach aud the airships thronging under us were all concealed from sight. We oould not understand by any means all that be said, but we oould readily comprehend from bis gestures and from tbe manner in which bis features lighted op at tbe recognition of familiar scenes and objects what bis sentiments iu regard to them were and in a general way what part tbey played in tha life of tbe planet. "I am afraid we oouldn't very long siege ourselves," su remarked the chief commissary expedition, who was oue of tl bers of the flagship's company Before quitting the asteroid we bad found that it wan necessary for him to ■wallow oue of bis "air pills," as Professor Moissau called them, at least three times in the course of every 34 hours. One of us supplied him regularly, and I thought I could detect evidences of a certain degree of gratitude in his expression. This was encouraging, because it gave additional promise of the possibility of our being able to communioate with him in some more effective way than by mere signs. But once inside the car, where we bad a supply of air kept at the ordinary pressure experienced on the earth, he could breathe like the rest of us. This promising and unexpected discovery of the Martian's book leut added enthusiasm to those who were engaged in the work of trying to master the language of our prisoner, and tbe progress that they made in the course of tbe next few days was trnly astonishing. If tbe prisoner bad been unwilling to aid them, of course it would have been impossible to proceed; but, fortunately for us, be seemed more aud more to enter into the spirit of tbe undertaking and actually to enjoy it himself. So bright aud qnick was bis understanding that be was even able to indicate to us methods of mastering his lauguage that would otherwise probably never have occurred to our uiiuds. While the final preparations for departure were being tnfide Jjord Kelvin Instituted other experiments that were po less unique in their results. Tbe experience of those wbo bad taken unpremeditated flights in elliptical orbits when tbey had run from the vicinity of tbe Martians suggested the throwing o( •olid objects in various directions from the of tbe planet in order to determine the distance that they would go »ud tbe curves they would describe in returning. Mars had played tbe game of tbe cuttlefish, which when pursued by its enemies darkens tbe water behind it by a radden outgnsh of inky fluid, and thus escapes tbe eye of its foe. "What do you mean by that? Mr. Edison sharply, turning to I We had poked the boruets' nest with a vengeance. As yet there bad been no sting, but we might quiokly expect to feel it if we did not get out of range. "Well, sir, you see," said th*. missary, Htamiueriug, "our provisions wouldn't bold out." He confirmed our opiuiou that certaiu of the works which we Haw beneath ua were fortifications, intended for the protection of the plauet agaiuat invaders from outer apace. A couuiug aud almost diabolical look came into bia eyea M he pointed to one of these strongholds. made by the discbarge was not wide, yet it sufiloed to give us a view of A The eyes of man had never beheld such a spectacle. " Wouldn't bold out?" exclaimed Mr. Edison in astonishment. "Why, wehave com pressed and prepared provisions euougb to last tbis squadrou for tbree years." Accordingly instractions were flashed throughout the sqnadrou to instantly reverse polarities and rise as swiftly as possible to a great height. Continued on page t. NAnS^r^gi ■r of the Globe for | RHEUMATISM,! I NEUBALOZA and limilar OomplaloU, I and prepared under the stringent A MEDICAL LIV:,^ by eminent phyaiaianii^flM |n| OR. RICHTER'S iXfl ANCHOR "D■ ■PAIN EXPELLERl ■ World renowned! Remark aMysuccesafmt ■ ■OnlT genuine with Trade Mark ** Anchor, ■»'. Ad. Klcktei "-Co., 816Pearl St., New left. ■ 31 HIGHEST AWARDS. I 19 Branch Honte*. Own OlaMworka. ■ & 50c. Endorsed * recommended b) JH ■ nrrer & Pwk, 80 Lucerne Avenue, Q. C. QUck, 60 North Main St. H Houck, 4 North  Pitttaton, Pa. I •«ANCHOR" STOMACHAL best for I I fWte. A C—tf 1 Where a few minutea before the sunny face of a beautiful aud populouB planet had beeu shining beueath ua there was now to be aeeu nothing but black, billowing clouda, swelling up everywhere like the mouse colored smoke that poura from a great transatlantio liner when fresh coal has just been heaped upou her Area. It waa evident that thia maneuver would aave us from dauger if it were quickly effected, because the airships of the Martians were simply airshipa and nothing more. They could ouly float iu the atmosphere and had no means of rising above it or of uavigating empty apace. Hia coufideuce and bia mocking look* Were not reaasuring to ua. He kuew What hia plauet waa capable of, aud we did oot. He bad aeen, on the asteroid, the extent of our power, and while its display served to intimidate him there, yet now that he and we together were facing the world of bia birth, bia fear had evidently falleu from biiu, aud be bad the manner of one who feels that the abield of an all powerful protector baa beeu exteuded over him. "We bad, sir, when we left tba earth," said tbe commissary in apparent distress, "but I am sorry to say that something has happened." For these experiments there was potting more convenient or abundant than chunk* of gold from the Martians' mine. These, accordingly, were hurled in various directions and with every degree of velocity. A little calculation pad shown that an initial velocity of 80 feet per second imparted to one of these chunks, moving at right angles to tbe radius of tbe asteroid, would, if the resistance of pn almost inappreciable atmosphere were ueglected, suffice to turn the piece of gold into a little satellite that would describe an orbit around (he asteroid and continue to do bo forever, or al least until the slight atmospheric resistance should eventually bring it down to the surface. Tbe best linguists iu tbe expedition, as Mr. Edison had suggested, were now assembled in tbe flagship, where tbe prisoner was, and they set to work to devise some means of ascertaining tbe manner in which be was accustomed to exprert bis thoughts. We had not heard him speak, because pntil we carried him into our car tbere was po atmosphere capable of conveying any sounds be might attempt to Utter- It seemed a fair assumption that the language of tbe Martians would be scientific in its structure. We had so much evidence of the practical bent of their minds and of the immense progress which tbey bad made in the direction of the scientific conquest of nature that It waa not to be supposed their medium of communication with one another Iu fact, iu a very short time be had turued teacher, and all these learned men, pressing around him with eager attention, bad become bis pupils. Immewte volumen of black tmoke. "Something bas happened! Explain yourself." faces westward aud, akirtiug the Mare Erytreum, arrived above tbe place where the broad caual kuown as the luduB empties iuto the sea. In some places the suioke spouted upward iu huge jets to the height of several miles; elsewhere it eddied iu vast whirlpools of inky blackuesa. CHAPTER XVL To have turned our diaiutegratora upou them and to have begun a battle then aud there would have been folly. "I don't k«ow what it is, but on inspecting some of tbe compressed stores a short time ago 1 found that a large number of them were destroyed, whether through leakage of air or what I am unable to say. I sent to inquire as to the oondition of tbe stores in the other ships in tbe squadron, aud I found that a similar condition of things prevailed I cannot undertuke to say precisely bow much of the Martian language bad been acquired by tbe chief linguists of tbe expedition before the time when we arrived so near to Mars that it became neceshary for most of us to abandon our studies iu order to make ready for tbe more serious business which uow confronted us. Before ua and stretching awuy toward tbe northwest now lay the continent of Cbryae, a vast red laud, oval in outline and surrounded aud crossed by innumerable canals. (Jhryse wus uot less than 1,600 milea across aud it, tou, evidently awarmed with giant inhabitants.They overwhelmingly outnumbered ua, tbe majority of them were yet at a considerable distance, and we could uot have doue battle, eveu with our eutire aquadrou actiug together, with more than one-quarter of them aimultaneoua ly. Iu the meantime tbe othera would have surrounded aud might have deatroyed ua. We muat first get some idea of tbe planet'a means of dofeuae before we ventured to aaaail it Not a glimpse of the hidden world beneath was anywhere to be aeen. But it oould uot be long uow before we abonld ascertain, by tbe irrevocable teat of actual experieuoe, whether the Martians possessed the power to annihilate ua or not. Mars bad put on its war maak and fearful iudeed wua the aspect of it! After the first pause of surprise tbe aquadrou quickly backed away into the sky, rising rapidly, because, from one of tbe swirliug eddies beueath ua the smoke began suddenly to pile itself up in an enormous aerial mountain, whose peaks shot higher and higher, with apparently increasing velocity, uutil they seemed about to eugulf ua with their tumbling ebon massea.  But at any rate the acquisition was so considerable as to allow of the interchange of ordinary ideas with our prisoner, and there was no longer any doubt that he would be able to give us much information when we landed on bia ua- How aball 1 describe our feeliuga aa we gazed at the scene apread beneath ua? Tbey were uot quite tbe aame aa those of tbe discoverer of new lauds upou tbe earth, Thia was a whole new world that we bad discovered, aud_.il But tbe abadow of night lay upon the greater portion of the land of Chryse. Iu our rapid motiou westward we had outstripped tbe suu and bad uow arrived at a poiut where day aud night met upon the surface of tbe plauet beueath "The fact is," continued the commissary, "we have' only provisions euougb in proper condition for about ten days' consumption." there. But a less velocity tban 30 feet per second would cause tbe golden missile to fly only part way around, while a theater velocity would give it an sllip-^ Having risen rapidly to a height of 35 or ao milea, so that we oyuld feet "After that we shall bave to forage on tba country. then." said tbe army