The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-01-17
HISTORY OF THE MARTIANS


 Martians dweit in caves, seeking thus to get close to the internal fires in the planet, which had not died out at that In many arts the Martians were prof. cient. As there was no vegetation of im- portance on the planet they made all their food in their immense laboratories and seemed to thrive upon it, for they att tained to huge statue. Their ingenious in- struments of war have already been touched upon and their astronomers had made rapid strides in studying the various stella and planetory bodies in space.
 At the time of which we write the gov- ernment of the Martians was rather crude. There were a dozen domed cit- les which were coupled by the Martians according to specified subdivisions. There were 100000 people allotted to each city and these were presided over by a patri- arch As result of thir superior intelli- gence the Martians required very little governing, even at that early date. Each individual was wise enough to do what was best for himself and the state. The patriarchs were usually chosen by accla- nation, and when concerted action was necessary they met in a designated city for conference. Inasmuch as the cities themselves were covered the Martians had no roofs on their houses, but each
 munlclpdlIy uWelL together m peace anu harmony, as if they were one large fam fly. The laws in force were few in num- Der and were interpreted by the patri- archs. who lived comparatively easy lives in spite of the fact that each one of them watched over 100000 people, which num- Der always remained about the same births and deaths being equal. The Mar tians were a race who did not grow.
 Commer and the usual industries Of of ha of ordinary attachments toiled in the great laboratories where food was made and at other times engaged in battle against the Phobians. The learned devoted their lives to acquiring and discriminating knowledge. The women, who were handsome like the men. took no part in public affairs but devoted themselves to the home. Of rellg ion there was none.
 This brief glance at the civilization of the early Martians gives us some idea of the progress they had made. but these people were much inferior to their descen- dants and were considered very crude by the people who came after them.
 In the year 2500 A. A. (Ante Zacr) rumors came to the Martians that their
 old enemies the Fhobians, were prepar- ing for an expedition from the south pole which should eclipse all those proceeding and crush the Martians power. No dan . ger was apprehended from the north, as the Phobians who inhabited those regions had been exterminated in previous war. These reports filled the Martians with dismay but they immediately began pre- parations to resist the invaders. The Phobians were compelled to limit all their attacks to the winter season when the polar ice fields extended far out over the planet. In the spring and summer the ice fields melted, sending down streams of water which irrigated the planet and spread out over the 1owlands, forming seas. As there were no clouds or mois-
 ture in the atmosphere, this was the man. ner in which the scanty Martian vegeta- Phobians languished in caves about the south pole, while the Martians launched
 vessels on the seas and made voyages of discovery.
 As 1t was now the winter sehson the Martians expected momentarily to see the advance guard of the Phobians marching l across the ice toward their cities. Vast quantities of food were stored up so that every man could fight, and an army un-
 der command of Ters, a great warrior of that period, was sent out to meet the in- vaders. The cities were also strongly for tifed and their armaments made ready. The force in the field fought entirely with chemical guns until close quarters were reached, when smaller weapons of a sim liar nature were employed. The fierce and hairy Phobians were smaller than the Martians in statue and their weapons were crude darts and clubs, but what they lacked in equipment they made up for in numbers and the ferocity of their attack. The Martians under Tero, marched from the city of Huilpi. where the troops had been massed. After travelling thirty
 leagues to the south they caught the first glimpse of the Phobian host. As there were no mountains to obstruct the view one army could observe every man euver made by the other and concealment was out of the question.
 The great Phobian host advanced rapid ly. with the evident intention of closing at once in battle. These savages were led by Cirla, chief of great prowess who