The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-01-17

When the Englanians discovered the Martians in the year 100000 A. D., the voyagers from earth found a peaple ad- vanced in a strange civilization and per- feet in all things. The Martians were warlike race of giants exceedingly hand some, both in face and form. and pos sessed of the secret of prolonging life for period of 2OO0 years.
 When the Englanians arrived In their swift aerial vessels the beneficent Xicl tenth ruler of the xacr dynasty, held the throne and Martian affairs were prosper ing exceedingly in the twelve great cities which contained the 1,00o, 900 beings who at that time inhabited the planet Prior to the reign Of xaer, first king of the Mar tians. the history of this wonderful people Is somewhat vague and indistinct. As is the case with all peoples in the early period Of their development the origin and prehistoric struggles of the Martians against the savage Phobians are so cloud ed by a mist of traditions and romantic tales that historians have difficulty in dis tinguishing what Is authentic history from what is merely tradition. After xaer ascended the throne however the narra- tive of events is both clear and concise.
 For many ages the advanced Martians were totally ignorant of the achievements of their ancestors until some remarkable documents were discovered in the ruins of what was once great city. Although these scrolls were imbellished by shining characters that would never grow dim and were perfectly preserved, they ap- peared crude to the later Martians and awakened a great deal of interest These discoveries were made in the 600th year of the reign of Xaer, and they shed so much light upon the early history of his people that the monarch immediately put a corps of learned men to work searching for fur ther information concerning the first Mar tians.
 Whence the Martans originally came has never been decided. There was a tra- dition that they emigrated from some other planet in airships, a race of huge, hairy men, innured to intense cold and even then possessed of knowledge that the Englanians did not attain until ages later. Whether these people departed from Jupiter or some body in space without the solar system Is not definitely known There was another tradition that the Martians sprang from a race of Salaman- ders who dwelt on the planet during its creation. A more plausible story Is that related by the poet Marc, who says that 
 of hardy savages who formerly dwelt in the caves of Mars, the planet being honey combed by 8. great number of such forma- tions.
 There are also many traditions handed Z down of the mighty battles waged be- tween the Martians and mysterious foe who swooped down upon them period ically. These early wars are believed to have been fought against the Phobians a ferocious race, numbering nearly 90O'0O0 individuals, who dwelt In the dreary ice z fields of the south polar regions. for the speculation of Sir W. Herschel Huyghens and other astronomers of the earth who were forgotten long before the time of the Englanians, In regard to the polar caps of Mars, were correct.
 In the year 2o00 before the reign of Xaer we find the Martians occupying a num- Der of domed cities in the north central continent of the planet and defending themselves valiantly against the Phobians who boasted that their common ancestor issued fuel grown from Phobas, tiny satellite of Mars which revolves about the planet in six hours At that time the Martians were far advanced in a civiliza- ton not yet dreamed of by earth dwellers and on account of their superior attain ments withstood all the savage attacks made on them by the Phobians. Each of their cities was defended by number of great chemical guns which hurried TOT many miles explosive bombs containing poisonous gases which carried death Oth- CT weapons scattered disease germs in the Phobian camps, which carried of great numbers.
 In adition to the prowess In war, the Martians at that time had made some ad- vancement in the sciences. Although they had not yet discovered the elixir of life and made no voyages into space they dwelt in handsome cities. which were built to conserve the suns heat as much as possible. since the planet was excessively cold and. on account of the absence Of clouds in its atmosphere. radiated heat very rapidly It was probably because of this vigorous climate that prehistoric