Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-04-11
CHAPTER VII
The Children of Mars

n fllSft Il breakfast, which was an eN-
"A act replica of the meal of the pre-
ceding day and an index of virtually
every meal which followed while | was
with the green men of Mars. Sola escorted
me to the plaza. where | found the entire
community engaged in watching or help
ing at the Harvesting of huge masto-
donian animals to great three-whceled
Chariots.
There were about ESQ of these vehicles.
each drawn by a single animal. any one
of which, from their appearance might
easily have drawn the entire wagon.train
when fully loaded.
The Chariots themselves were of large
dimensions, CommOdious, and very Eor-
geously decorated
In each was seated a female Marian
loaded with ornaments of metal with
jewels and silks and furs. and upon the
back of each of the beasts which drew
the charlots was perched young Marian
driver Like the animals upon which the
warriors were mounted. the heavier draft
animals wore neither bit nor Bride but
was guided entirely by telepathic means
This power Is wonderfully developed
in all NTartians, and accounts largely for
the simplicity of their language and the
relatively few spoken words necessary
even in long conversations
1t is the universal language of Mars.
through the medium of which the higher
dOXeS are able to communicate to n great
er or less extent, depending upon the intel
lectual sphere of the species and the de.
velopment of the individual.
As the cavalcade took up the line of
march in single file, Sola dragged me into
an empty chariot, and we proceeded with
the procession toward the point by which
l had entered the city the day before.
At the head of the caravan rode some
200 warriors. five abreast, and a like
number brought up the rear while 20
or 30 outriders tlanked us on either side.
Every one but myself: men, women and
children, We're heavily armed, and at the
tail of each chariot trotted n Martian
hound, my own beast following closely be-
hind ours in fact, the faithful creature
never left me voluntarily during the entire
time spent on Mars.
our way led out across the little valley
before the city, through the hills, and
down into the dead sea bottom which l
had traversed on my journey from the
incubator to the plaza.
The incubator. as 1t proved. was the
terminal point of our journey this day,
and, as the entire calvacade broke into
a mad gallop as soon as we reached the
level eXpanse of sea bottom, we were soon
within sight of our goal.
on reaching IL the chariots were parked
with military precision on the four sides
If the inclosure, and half a score of war
riors, headed by the enormous chieftain
and including Tars Tarllas and several
other lesser chiefs, dlsmounted and ad-
vanced toward 1t.
could see Tars Tarkas explaining
something TO the principal chieftaln. whose
name, by the way was, as nearly as l can
translate it into English. Lorquas Ptomel,
Jed-jed being his title.
1 was soon apprised of the subject of
their conversation as, calling to Sola Tars
TO m IN n i'm
| had by this time mastered the intrlcaces
of walking under Martian conditions, and
| quickly responding to his command I adj
yanced TO the side OF the incubator where
the party of warriors stood.
AS I reached their side a glance showed
me that all but, a very few eggs had
hatched the incubator being fairly alive
with the hideous little devils.
They ranged in height from three to
four feet. and were moving restlessly
about the inclosure as though searching
for food
AS came to halt before him. Tars
| Tarkas pointed over the incubator and
| said SAX
/ saw that he wanted me to repeat my
performance OF yesterday for the edifica-
/ ton OF Lorquas Ptomel, and, as / must
| confess that my prowess gave me no little
| satisfaction, / responded quickly, leaping
| entirely over the parked chartots on the
|
| Lorquas Ptomel grunted something at
me. and turning to his warriors gave a
few words of command relative to the in
| cubator.
They paid no further attention to me,
and l was thus permitted to remain close
and watch their operations, which con-
sisted in breaking an opening in the wall
OF the incubator large enough to permit OF
the exit of the young Martians.
| on either side of this opening the
| women and the younger MRrtians, both
male and female, formed two solid walls
| leading out through the chariots and quite
| away into the plain beyond. Between
these walls the little Martians seampered,
wild as deer being permitted to run the
| fun length of the aisle, where they We're
captured one at time by the women and
older children.
1 saw that the ceremony, IL 1t could be
dignified by such name, was over, and
seeking out Sola, I found her in our
| chariot with a hideous little creature held
tightly In her arms.
| The work of rearing young green Mar
| tians consists solely in teaching them to
| talk and to use the weapons of warfare
with which they are loaded down from the
| very first year OF their lives
| Coming from eggs In which they have
| lain for five years, the period Of incuba-
| ton, they step forth into the world per-
| fectly developed except in size. Entirely
/ unknown to their own mothers, they are
the common children of the community
/ and their education devolYes upon the fe-
males who chance 10 capture them as
they leave the incubator.
CONTINUED ToIoRR0W