Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-06-17
FOREWORD

OAbL w OGbD
TWELVE years had passed since 1 hat
Il laid the body of Captain John Carter OF
Virginia, away from the sight of men In
that strange mausoleum in the old cemetery
at Richmond.
Often had pondered on the odd instruc.
tons he had left me governing the con-
struction Of his mighty tomb, and especially
those parts wherein he directed that he be
laid in an open caslet, and that the ponder
GUS mechanism which controlled the bolts
Of the vaults huge door be accessible only
from the inside.
Twelve years had passed since 1 had
read the remarkable manuscript of this
remarkable man; this man who remem-
bered no childhood and who could not
even offer vague guess as to his age:
who was always young. and yet who had
$50 he claimed-dandled my grandfather's s
great-grandfather upon his knee; this man
who had spent ten years upon the planet
Mars; who had fought for the green men
of Barsoom and fought against them; who
had fought for and against the red men,
and who won the ever-beautlful Dejah
Thoris, Princess of ,Helium for his WIFE
and for nearly ten years had been a prince
Of the house of Tardos Mors Jeddak OF
Helium.
Twelve years had passed since his body
had been found upon the bluff before his
cottage overlooking the Hudson Oft
times during the long years l had won
dered IL John Carter were really dead
or II he again roamed the dead sea-bottoms
OF that dying planet. Had he returned
to Barsoom to find that he had opened
the frowning portals of the mighty atmos!s
phere plant in time to save the countless
millions who were dying of asphyxiation
on that far-gone day that had seen him
hurtled ruthlessly through rs, 900, 600 miles
OF space back to Earth once more?
had wondered If he had found his
black-haired princess and ,the slender son
he had dreamed was with her in the royal
gardens Of Tardos Mors. awaiting his re-
turn.
Or had he found that he had been too
late. and thus gone back to living death
upon q dead world? Or was he really
dead after all. never to return either to his
mother Earth or his Seloved Mars?
Thus was l lost in useless speculation
one sultry August evening when old Ben,
my body servant, handed me a telegram
Tearing it open, read:
Meet me tomorrow hotel-Richmond
JOHN CARTER
Early the next morning took the first
train for Richmond. and within two hours
was being ushered into the room occupied
by John Carter.
As entered, he rose to greet me- his
old-tiue smile of welcome lighting his
handsome face. Apparently he had not
aged a minute, but was still the straight
His keen gray eyes We're undimmed and
the only lines upon his face were the lines
OF character and determination that always
mad been there since first l remembered
him. nearly 35 years before.
Well, nephew" he greeted me- do Won
feel as though you were seeing a ghost, or
suffering from the effects of too many of
Uncle Ben's@ juleps?"
"Juleps, l reckon" replied, '.for cer-
tainly feel mighty good But 'mavbe It'z
nf gfffAa In
You have been back to Mars? Tell me
And DeJah Thorls? You found her well
and awaiting your"
Yes have been to Barsoom again.
Rnd-but it's long story, too long TO tell
in the limited time I have before / must
return. have learned the secret nephew,
and may traverse the trackless void at my
viii. coming and going between the count.
less planets as I wish. But my heart is
always In Barsoom, and doubt that shall
ever again leave the dying world that holds
my dearest memories
Il have come now because my affection
Tor you prompted me to see you once more
Detore you pass over forever into that other
life that / shall never know and which.
though / have died thrice and shall die
again tonight. you know DEATH 1 am as
unable to fathom as are you
Even the wise and mysterious therns
OF Barsoom, that ancient cult which for
countless ages has been credited with hold
Ing the secret OF life aDd deaAh in their i'm
pregnabie fastness upon the hither slopes
OF the mountains of otz, are as ignorant as
we.
4 have proved It, though nearly lost
my llIe In the doing of 1t. But you shall
read Il all in the notes have been making
during the last three months thaI 1 have
beeu back upon earth"
He patted swelling portfolio that Law on |
the table at his elbow
Il know that you are interested and
that you believe. and l know that the |
world, too, Is interested, though they. will |
not believe for many years yes for many
aEss. since they cannot understand. Earth |
msn nave not Yet progressed to a point |
have written IN these notes
Give them what YOU wish OF it what YOU |
think win not harm them but do not feeI |
aegrleved II they laugh at YOU
ihat night walked down 10 the eeme-
- Win MIN AT the door Of his vault he |
turned and pressed my hand
dood-by, nephew" he said. II NAV |
never SEQ you again.
He entered the vault. The great door
swung slowly 70. The ponderous bolts
grated into place. The lock clicked.
azss never seen Captain John Carter.
haE hz1e + ne story OF his return 10 |
s4afz 1H fha< ether OCCASION as / have |
z|sanea 7 frum the great mass Of notes |
es.asa = ts!t TOT me upon the table OF his |
Fean Il ne hotel at Richmond
There IS much which | have left on, |
much which have not dared 10 tell nut |
you viii nnd the story Of his second ssareb /
IaF Delan ThoFis, Princess Of Halium. even /
EaoEs femarkable than vas his firsf manu- /
script which I gave q an unhslieslne xeria /
E short tline since. and through Vghieh ve /
zs'laHsa the lighting Ylrginian under tie /
asoana or Mars
HH4pTER