The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-02-20
suggested Professor syIvanus p. ThOmp-

I
| the internal constitution OF the asteroo
! that Is the cause Of the anomaly we
| must look into that. Let me see. ms
| gentleman's weight Is three ana, one
| half times as great as IL ought TO De-
| What element is there whose density
| exceeds the mean density OF the earth IN
about that proportion2"
| Gold" exclaimed one of the party
| For moment we were startled beyond
| expression. The truth had flashed upon
| US.
| This must be n golden planet-thls niue
1 asteroid. II II were not composed inter-
| nally Of gold, It could never have made
me weigh three times more than l ought
| to weigh.
but where is the gold" cried one.
! Covered up. Of course" cried Lord
Kelvin. Buried in star dust This
| asteroid could not have continued TO
travel for millions of years through re-
| gions Of space strewn with meteoric par
ticles without becoming covered with
the inevitable dust and CRIME or such
a journey. We must dig down ana then
| doubtless we shall find the metal
| This hint was instantly acted upon
| Something that would serve for spade
was seized by one OF the men, and In
few minutes a hole had been dug in
the soil Of the asteroid
| l shall never forget the sight. nor the
| ordinations Of wonder that broke forth
| from all Of us standing around. when the
yellow CLEAN of the precious metal APP
| peared under the star dust" Collected
in huge masses IT reflected tho light OF
the sun from its hiding place.
! Evidently the planet was not a solid
| ball OF gold, formed like a bullet run in
| a mold. but was composed Of nuggets OF
1 Hn.HH
! here under the influence Of their mutual
| sravitation, and formed a little metallic
planet.
Judging by the test Of weight which had
already been tried. and which had led TO
the discovery Of the gold. the composition
Of the asteriod must be the same TO its
very centre.
! In an assembage Of famous scientific
men such as this. the discovery Of course
| Immediately led 10 the questions as 20 the
| origin Of this incredible phenomenon.
How did these masses Of gold come
! together? How did IL chance that. with
the exception Of the thin crust Of he
asteroid nearly all its substance was
composed Of The precious mctai2
| one asserted that it was quite impos-
| sible that there should be so much sold
at so great a distance from the sun. IT
| "a
| cts Increase In density toward The sun.
| There is every reason TO think that tho
inner planets possess the greater amount
of dense elements. while the outer ones
! ar comparatively light
| But another referred 10 the old theory
| that there was once in this part ot the
solar system a planet which had been
| burst i'm pieces by some mysterious OK
| plcslon. the fragments forming what we
know az the asteroids In his opinion this
| planet might have contained large guam
| tity Of gold. and in the course OF ages
/ the gold. having IN consequence or us
superior atomic weight, not being so Wide
" scattered by the explosion as some ~
the other elements % the planet. had ccl-
! lected itsclf together I'm this body
But / observed that Lori Kelvin and
the other more distinguished men OF sci
cnce said almost nothing during this ols-
cussion The truly learned man Is the
truly wise man. They were not COINS to
get I'D theories without sufficient iacla
10 sustain them
Gold is a thing which NAV make us
appearance anywhere and AT any time
without onerins airy excuses or eN9lana-
lions
a voice.
How are we going to dig it and get 1t
back to earth?' asked another
Garry It I'm your pockets said one.
mo use OF stalking claims here re-
marked another. There Is enough Cor
everybody"
Mr.. Edison suddenly turned the current
Of talk.
what do you suppose those Martians
were doing tere?"
s.Perhaps. they were wrecked here"
''Not a bit Of IT," said Mr.. Edison.
According to your own showing they
could not have been wrecked here. THIS
planet hasn't gravitation enough 10 wreck
then by a 1all and besides | have been
| looking at their machines and know
there has been fight
"A fght?" exclaimed several, pricking
mp their ears.
"Yes" said Mr. Edison. "those ma
chimes bear the marks of the lightning Of
the Mlrtians. They have been disaolcS.
hut they are made Of some metal or some
alloy of metals unknown 10 me, and con-
sequently they have withstood the de-
st~cc.ive force applied 10 them. rs ctr
electric ships were unable TO Withstand II.
I. Is Perfectly plain TO me that they
have been disabled in n battle. The Mar
fans must have been fighting among
| themselves"
about the gold" exclaimed one.
"Of course What else was there 70
! fight about -
At this instant one Of our men came
running from n considerable distance.
waving his arms excitedly. but unable
| to give voice 70 his story. In the map
probable atmosphere Of the asteroid'
until he had come IN and made tele-
phonic connection with us.
There IS a lot OF dead Martians over
there" he said They've been cleaning
| one another out"
"Thafs IT," said Mr.. Edison. 81 knew
II when | saw the condition OF those
machines"
This must be the great gold mine OF
Mars" said the president or the Aus
tralian mining company. opening both
his ewes and his mouth when he spoke.
yes. evidently that's IL. Here's where
they come 10 get their wealth
And this" said J. must be their har-
vest time. You notice that this asteroid'
being several million miles nearer 10 the
sun that Mars Is. must have an appre-
Gladly shorter period Of revolution. When
II is IN conjunction with Mars, or nearly
60 as ~ * at present. the distance be-
tween the two Is not very great. whereas
when n Is in the opposite part OF It's orbit
thew are separated by an enormous gap OF
space and the sun IS between them.
"Manifestiy In tho latter case II would
he peril0us II not entirely imposslpie
Tor the Martians to visit the golden aste-
roid bur when II Is near Mars as II IS
at upresent. and as IL must be. periodlcaly
for several ears at a time. then IS their
opportunity. ..A
H.art. sH.fA