The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-02-07
War With the Tellurians and S Conquest of the Moon. St

near their ship the Martians extended their expeditions further and penetrated through the mountains surrounding them 10 another and vaster plain, which seemed honeycombed by innumerable caverns. Undaunted by the forbidding mouths of these, the Martians entered a number of the passages, where they were surprised to find the remains of crude utensils and weapons. which seemed to have been left there by beings like them selves. With curiosity heightened by their discoveries the Martians pushed further on, and in a great cavern which seemed to be the assembly, hall for all the smaller caves which they entered, the Martians first met the Tellurians.
 It was strange meeting. The huge Martians, in all their physical and men, tai perfection, stood and looked down on horde of shivering, covering creatures, misshapen in body and stunted in growth. The Tellurans were hideous monsters who inhabited the under world of the moon and were as ferocious as they looked. There was scant covering on their blackened, twisted limbs, that looked as If encased in shiny armor of scales, Their wizened heads gave little room for brains, while their great pro- truding eyes looked at the Martians in glassy terror.
 The throng in the cavern was momenta- rily increased by re-enforcements that seemed to come from every direction, the little people issuing from the passages by the scores. The Tellurians made no sound They seemed incapable of speech. As the Martians saw the throng growing in numbers it occurred to them that it would be safer to retreat. as only sixty of their party were present.
 The Martians were well armed and tho Tellurians had nothing but crude weap- ons. which were fashioned out of some mineral that would take an edge like steel, and a burning substance which they hurled with slings and which was exceed ingly deadly to any being who should be struck by 1t, as it consumed more quickly than the most powerful acids known to earthdwellers or to the MartianS.
 As the Martians began to retreat the Tellurians began to advance and before the intruders could reach the surface the struggle began. One of the Tellurians hurled lump of inflammable composition like putty from his sling. The stuff struck a Martian in the chest. He was immediately enveloped in flames and con- sumed before his astonished companions realized what had happened This was the signal and the Tellurian host hurled themselves upon the Martians, but pre- served unbroken silence. The Martians retreated as rapidly as possible, while the narrow passage which they traversed prevented the onslaughts of the moon men from being as effective as would have been the case had they been in the open.
 Soon the surface of the moon was reached. The Martians took their stand at the entrance of the passage and kept the forces of the Tellurians at bay until the other members of the Martian expe- dition arrived. By means of their supe- struggle for almost a day until at last the Tellurians seemed beaten and slunk away into the earth
 When the exhausted Martians saw their foes retiring they immediately pre- pared to make a rush for the Altar and escape fSom the moon before they were overwhelmed. Silently and swiftly they left the place and directed their course with all possible speed in the direction in which the Altar lay, five leagues dis tant. But the Tellurians had watchers posted and before the Martians had gone half the distance they saw a horde of the hideous creatures advancing upon them and brandishing their weapons. Deeming expediency the better part of valor, the Martians quickened their flight and man. aged to keep ahead of their pursuers un- til the Altar was in sight. Here 1t be- came necessary to face the Tellurians until the vessel could be put in readiness for flight and part of the Martians em- parked
 The Telurians came on in great num-