Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-07-07

love you also, and fairly worship your
memory as the savior of Barsoon.
Each year that brings It's anniversary
Of the day that saw you racing across
nearly dead world to unlock the secret OF
that awful portal behind which lay the
mighty power of life for countless millions
a great festival is held In your honor But
there are tears mingled with the thanks
giving-tears Of real regret that the author
Of the happiness is not with them to share
the joy Of living he died to give them. Upon
all Barsoom there is no greater name than
John Carter"
And by what name has your mother
called you, my boy7" asked.
The people of Helium asked that be
named with my fathers name, but my
mother said no. that you and she had
chosen n name for me together, and that
your wish must be- honored before all
others so the name that she called me is
the one that you desired, combination
Of hers and yours--Carthoris."
Xodar had been at the wheel as talked
with my son, and now he called me.
"She Is dropping badly by the head, John
Ing at a stIff angle 1t was not noticeable,
but now that 1 am trying to keep a hori-
zontal course IL is different The wound In
her bow has opened one of her forward ray
tanks"
It was true, and after had examined the
damage lOuilu IL iIluCll EIdNSA
than 1 had anticipated. Not only was the
forced angle at which we were compelled
to maintain the bow In order to keep a
horizontal course greatly impeding our
speed, but at the rate that we were losing
our repulsive rays from the forward tanks
It was but question OF an hour or more
when we would be floating stern UP and
helpless.
We had slightly reduced our speed with
the dawnng of a sense Of security but now
/ took the helm once more and pulled the
noble little engine wide open, SO that again
we raced north at terrific velocity. In the
meantime. Carthoris and Xodar, with tools
in hand, were puttering with the great rent
In the bow in hopeless endeavor TO stem
the tide of escaping rays.
1t was still dark when we passed the
northern boundary of the Ice cap and the
area of clouds. Below us lay a typical
Martian landscape.
Rolling ocher sea-bottom OF long-dead
seas low surrounding hills, with here and
there the grim and silent cities of the dead
past; great piles of mighty architecture
tenanted only by age-old memories OF a
once powerful race, and by tho white apes
of Barsoom.
1t was becoming moro and more difficult
to maintain our little vessel in horizontal
position. Lower and lower sagged the bow
until II became necessary to stop the engine
to prevent our flight terminating in a swift
dive to the ground.
AS the sun rose and the light of new
day swept away the darkness of night, our
craft gave a final spasmodc plunge, turned
half upon her side and then, with deck tilt
ing at a sickening angle, swung in slow
circle, her bow dropping farther below her
stern each moment.
To handrail and stanchion we clung, and
finally, as we saw the end approaching,
snapped the buckles of our harness to the
rings at her sides In another moment the
deck reared at an angle of 90 degrees, and
we hung In our leather, with feet dangling.
a thousand yards above the ground.
1 was swinging quite close TO the con-
trolling devices. so l reached out to the
lever that directed the rays Of repulsIon. The
boat responded to the touch, and very gent
ly we began to sink toward the ground.
1t was fully half an hour before we
touched. Directly north OF us rose a rather
lofty range of hills toward which we de-
cded to make our way, since they afforded