The Concordia sentinel. (Vidalia, Concordia Parish, La.) 1882-current, 1921-03-12

about among the desks and chairs like
some monstrOus grasshOpper. After
brulSlng myself severely, much to the
amusement of the Martians, l again
had recourse to creeping, but this did
not suit them and / was roughly
Jerked to my feet by towering fell
low who had laughed most heartily at
my misforrunes.
AS he banged me down upon my
feet his face was bent close to mine
and l did the only thing gentleman
might do under the circumstances of
brutality, bOOrishnesS and lack of con-
sideratiOn for a strangers rights; /
swung my fist squarely to his jaw and
he went down like feIled OK. AS
he sunk to the floor l wheeled around
with my back toward the nearest desk,
expecting to be overwhelmed by the
vengeance of his fellows, but deter
mined TO give them as good a battle
as the unequal odds would permit be-
fore gave up my life.
My fears were grOundless, however.
as the other Martians, at first struck
dumb with wonderment. finally broke
into wild peals of laughter and APP
plause. | did not recognize the ap-
'ause as such. be- later when / had
become acquainted with their customs.
| learned that | had won what they
seldom accord, a manifestation of APP
probation.
The fellow whom had struck lay
where he had fallen, nor did any of his
mates approach him. Tars Tarkas ad-
vanced toward me. holding out one of
his arms, and we thus proceeded to the
plaza without further miShap. ! did
not. Of course. know the reason for
which we had come TO the open. but
/ was not long in being enlightened.
They first repeated the word SAX"
a number of times, and then Tars Tar
kas made several jumps, repeating
the same word before each leap; then,
turning TO me, he said. SAX" l saw
what they were after. and gathering
myself together | sacked" with such
marvellous success that l cleared
good hundred and fifty feet; nor did
| this time lose my equilibrium, hut
landed squarely upon my feet without
falling. I then returned by easy jumps
of twenty-five or thirty feet to the
little group of warriors.
My exhibition had been witnessed
by several hundred lesser Martians,
and they Immediately broke into de-
mands for a repetition. But | was
both hungry and thirsty, and ignored
the repeated commands to SAX" and
each time they were made / motioned
to my mouth and rubbed my stomach
Tars Tarkas and the chief exchanged
a few words, and the former. calling
to young female among the throng,
gave her some instructions and mo-
toned me TO accompany her I
grasped her proffered arm and to-
gether we crossed the plaza toward a
large building on the far side.
My fair companion was about eight
feet tall. having just arrived at ma
turity, but not yet to her full height.
She was of light Olive-green color,
with smooth. glossy hide. Her name.
as afterward learned. was Sofa. and
she belonged to the retinue of Tars
Tarkas. She conducted me to a spa
cious chamber In one of the buildings
fronting on the plaza, and which, from
the litter of silks and furs upon the
floor, took TO he the sleeping quar-
tiers of several of the natives.
Sofa mOtiOned me to be seated upon
a pile of silks near the center of the
room. and. turning. made a peculiar
kissing sound. as though signaling to
some one In an GdjOining room. In
response to her call | obtained my
first sight of a new Marian wonder.
1t waddled in on its ten short legs.
and squatted down before the girl like
an Obedient puppy. The thing was
about the size of Shetland pony, hut
its heed bore q slight resemblance to
that III frog. except that the jaws
were. equipped with three rows of
long, sharp tusks.