The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-06-27
'sTHE WAR OF THE WORLDS
BY H. G. WELLS
Condensation by ALFRED S. CLARK

What | marvel at now, when l re-
call the days when the Martians were
speeding earthward, is our unconcern
The skies were peopled with incred-
ible evil, with unimaginably repulsive
monsters armed with superhuman
weapons. The catastrophe Things
were hurting on, covetous of our
greener and warmer planet, and lovers
wandered through English lanes, with
no thought Of the swift and scorching
death above their heads.
Through telescope, had watched
one of the colossal squirts Of fame on
the rim of the tiny red planet 1t did
not occur to me that these gaseous
jets accompanied the firing of
mighty gun that had launched ten
huge cylinders into space. Learning
to ride bicycle interested me more
than eruptions on Mars. The planet
seemed SO remote. Forty million miles
away!
ogilvy, the astronomer, found the
first messenger. He had seen it fall.
ing and supposed it a wandering met
eorite, but its shape surprised him.
It was cylindrical, fully 80 yards
across the exposed face. It was so
hot that he could not get near it.
Then, to his utter amazement, the top
began to unscrew. There was some
thing in it, something alive. Not I'M
til then did he link it with the flashes
on Mars.
Late that afternoon l saw the Mar
tian. / was one of curious crowd
in front of the cylinder when the lid
fell off. / peered into the black in
terror and fancied | saw shadows
stirring. Then something like a snake
wriggled into sight. 1 stood stricken
with terror A round body, about four
feet across, pulled itself painfully to
the opening.
I had expected to see something
like man, fantastic perhaps but two
legged. This thing was just an oily,
leathery body, legless and armless,
| with chlnless and noseless face
About the quivering mouth wavered
sixteen long tentacles. Two great
eyes, dark and luminous, were mirrors
for an extraordinary brain. The crea.
ture painted and heaved, weighed
down by the greater pull of gravity on
earth. An intense loathing came over
me. Suddenly, the monster toppled
i over, into the pit. Then l ran, madly
i From a distance | watched the Dep
utation that went out under a white
flag. I saw three flashes of greenish
light and darts of fire leaped from
one to another of the little figures
Even as | saw them touched with
death, did not realize what was hap
pening. Suddenly I knew and again
I ran.
People nearby slept unconcernedly
ME ola
had set half a dozen villas af1ame and
pine trees were red torches. We were
sure that these dangerous invaders
were fatally sluggish. A well-aimee
she'll would finish them. And while
we slept, the Martians were method
cally rearing those mighty machine:
that were so soon to shatter our nea
i theories about their helplessness
That night another cylinder fell ant
eight more were driving on
1t was the next night that saw TIL,
striding Martians. Boilers on stills
| heard them called later | saw then
by flashes of lightning and the glow o
countless fires, clanking machines To-
feet high, moving upon three gigantic
legs like an exaggerated tripod driv
Ing on with an express-train's speed
smashing everything in their path. A
the tops, crouched in metal hoods, la,
the Martians
Looking out from my windows a
dawn, / beheld an abominable desola
ton, blackened world that had beel
green and fair. / struck out for Lor
don and for miles saw not a Twin;
being. l had reached the Thame
when | saw the Things coming, fiv
or them. | ran for the water Straigh
toward me sped one, but might hav
been an ant in mans path It strod
through the river and lowered abov
Shepperton. Then six hidden gun
belched together One shell struc
the hood and there was horrible cor
!! fusion of flesh and blood and meta
Something drove the uncontrolled ma
chine on, crashing through the village
! topping over the church-tower, CO
: lapsing in the river The others rusl
ed to the spot and the air was file
with Kissing of Heat Rays and cracl
ling of fires. Shepperton leaped int
r flame. ] staggered to the shore an
2 when looked up, the Things wer
bearing away the smashed machine
| stumbled on, panic-stricken, dazet
The world was doomed These MOI
e sters could slay with Heat Rays b,
yond the range of our biggest gun,
: Not again could we kill one of ther
by surprise. Terror stalked throug
a London. To the horror of Heat Ray
had been added the Black Smoke,
cloud Of poison that blighted all Twin
things. So London streamed in fligh
t 100000 people roaring out along til
! highways until they were like rivel
!. In flood.
fell into doze under hedge an
there the curate joined me- He wa
y half-mad with fright and chung to m
y We plodded on to a suburb where "
sought refuge in a deserted house 4
midnight came a binding fash. Whe