The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1921-01-27

latest novel Most popular of all was
MIR. Drifting Sees It Through" gen.
orally r, gardcd as the best war novel
written in English.
z Y 7 HAT I marvel at now, when
W. l recall the days when the
Nartians were speeding
earthward, is our unconcern. The
skies were peopled with Incredible
evil, with uninaginably 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 scorch-
ing death above their heads.
Through Il telescope. had watched
one of the colossal squirtS of flame
on the rim of the tiny, red planet. 1t
did not occur to me that these case
Gus jets accompanied the firing of
mighty gun that had launched ten
huge cylinders into space. Learning
to ride Il bicycle interested me more
than eruptions On Mars. The planet
seemed so remote. Forty million
miles away!
--QggilVyr -the astronomer found the
first messenger. He had seen it fall
ing and supposed it Il wandering mete-
orite, but its shape surprised him. II
was cylindrical. fully 80 yards across
the exposed face. 1t was so hot tina;
~ FThnn n his
utter amaZement, the top began TO I'M
screw. There was something in it,
something alive. Not until then did
he link it with the flashes on Mars.
Late that afternoon l saw the Mar
tian. was one of a cul Gus crowd In
front of the cylinder when the lid fell
off. I peered into the black interior
and fancied saw shadows stirring
Then something like a snake wriggled
into sight. l stood stricken with ter
ror. \ round body, about four feet
across, pulled itself painfully to the
opening.
/ had expected to see something
like a man. fantastic perhaps, but
two-le-1ed. This thing was just an
oily, leathery body, legless and arm
less, with a chfnless and noseless face.
Two great eyes, dark and luminous,
were mirrors for an extraordinary
brain The creature painted and
heayed, weighed down by the greater
pun Of gravity ON earth. An intense
lOathing came over me. Suddenly. the
monster topped over, into the pit.
Then l ran, madly.
From distance | watched the Depu-
tation that went out under a white
flag. / 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,
I did not realize what was happening.
Suddenly l knew and again l ran.
People nearby slept uncOncernedly
that night, although the Heat Rays
had set half Il dozen villas atlame and
pine trees were red torches. We were
sure that these dangerous invaders
were fatally SlugGi,h. A well-aimed
shell would finish them. And while
we slept, the Murtians were method
ically rearing those mighty machines
that were 50 soon to shatter our neat
theories about their helplessness.
That night another cylinder fell and
eight more We're driving on.
1t was the next night that l saw the
striding HnrtiIus "Boilers O. stills"
l hear IA called later. u, them
by flashes of lightning and 1t glow
of countless fires, clunEiug machines
100 feet high, moving Upon three gi-
gunGc les like an exaggerated II.
pod driving on with an eXpress-train's
speed. smashing everything in then
path. Al the tops, crouched in meta
hoods. lay the Mtrtlans.
LCpklng ouy from my windows al
dawn, l hrhell an abominabIe desola
ton. a blackcled world that had been
green ANA fair. l struck out for Lon
don and for miles saw net living be-
ing. | had reached the Thames when
] saw the Things coming. five of them.
l ran for the water. Straight toward
me sped one, but I might have been
IN ant in q mans path. 1t strobe
through the river and lowered above
Sheppertou. Then six hidden guns
belched together. One shell struck
the hood and there was a horrible
confusion of flesh and blood and me-
tai. Something drove the uncontrolled
machine on, crashing through the viii
Iage. topping over the church-tower.
In 9th
rushed to the spot and the air was
filed with kissing of Heat Rays and
eruc&liug of fires. Shepperton leaped
into flame. 1 staggered to the shore
a1d when l looked up. the Things
were bearing away the smashed ma