The Snyder signal. (Snyder, Tex.) 1887-????, 1921-03-25

"Tears are strange sight upon
Barsoom." She continued, "and so II
Is difficult for me TO interpret them.
I have seen but two people weep In
all my life. other than Deiah Thorls
one wept from sorrow, the other from
bafiied rage. The first was my moth.
er, years ago. before they killed her;
the other was Sarkoja, when they
dragged her from Inc today"
"Your mother" exclaimed, but.
Sofa, you could not have known your
mother. child"
"But | did. And my father also"
she added "If you would like to hear
The strange ana m-Barsoomlan story
come TO the chariot tonight. John Car
ter, and ! will tell you that OF which
have never spoken In all my life be-
fore"
81 will come tonight. Sola." prom
ised. BE sure 10 tel! Dejah Thoris
am alive and we'll. II she would speak
with me ] but await her command"
Sofa mounted the chariot. which was
swinging into Its place ~ llr". and !
hsstencd to my waiting thoat and gal.
loped TO my station beside Tars Tar
kas OF the rear OF the column.
We made n most imposing aud awe
inspiring spectacle as we strung out
across the yellow landscape; the two
hundred and fifty ornate and brightly
colored charlois, preceded By an nd
vance guard Of some two hundred
mounted warriors and chiefiains rid
Ing FIVE abreast and, one hundred yards
apart. and followed by a ike number
In the same formation. with a score or
more OF nankers on either side: the
fifty extra mastodons. or heavy
draught animals. known MS zltldars.
and the FIVE or six hundred extra
thoats OF the warriors running loose
the surrounding warriors. The gleam-
ing metal ana Jewels OF the gorgeous
ornaments OF the men and women du-
plicated In the trappings or the zitl-
dnrs and thoats, and interspersed with
the flashing colors Of magnificent silks
and furs and feathers, lent barbaric
-splendor 10 the caravan which would
have turned an East Indian potentate
green with envy.
The enormous broad tires OF the
charlots and the padded feet Of the
animals brought forth no sound from
the moss-coyered sea bottom; and so
we moved IN utter silence, like some
huge phantasmagoria, except when the
stiffness was broken by the cultural
growing OF goaded ziiidar. or the
squeallng Of lighting thoa,s. Tho green
Martlans converse but little and then
usually In monosylIables, low and like
the faint rumhllng OF distant thc9dcr.
We traversed trackleSs vase Of
moss which, bending 10 the pressure ~
broad tire or padded foot. rose up
again behind US, leaving no sign that
we had passed We might indeed lave
been the w-aiths Of the departed dead
upon the dead ~, that dying planet
for all the sOuu1 ., we made In
passing !. was uw q march OF
large body OF men and animals had
ever witnessed which raised no dust
and left no spoor; for there is no dust
upon Mars except In the cultivated dis
tricts during the winter months, nnd
even then the absence Of high winds
renders II almost unnotlceahie.
We cnmped tha, night ut Tie foot
az the hills we had been approaching
for two days and which marked the
southern boundary of this particular
sea. Our animals had been Two days
without drink. nor had they had water
for nearly two months. not since
shortly after leaving Thank; but, as
Tars Tarkns cyplnined to me, they re-
aulre but little and can live almost In
definitely upon the moss which covers
Barsoom and which he told me. holds
In lis tiny stems sufficient moisture
10 NEE, the limited demands Of the
animals
After partaking Of my evening meat
OF cheese-llke feed and vegetable milk
sought out Sofa whom found work
Ing by the light OF torch upon some
Of Tars Tarkas' truppngs. She looked
l
with pleasure and with welcome.
~ am glad you came" she said;
"Deiah Thoris sleeps and am lonely.
promised to tell you my story. or
rather the story OF my parents From
what | have learned Of yon, land the
ways Of your people am sure That
the tale will not seem strange to you.
but among green Martlans II has no
parallel within the memory Of the old
est living Thark. nor do our legends
hold many similar tales.
"Niy mother was rather small. In
fact too small TO be allowed the re-
sponsIbllties OF maternity, us our
chleftalns breed principally for size.
She was also less cold and cruel Than
most green Marian women, and caring
little for their society, she often
roamed the deserted avenues of Thank
alone. or went and sat among the Wild
flowers that deck the nearby hills.