call it 'The Blindman's World.'" As he spoke he turned toward a curious
structure which stood near us, though I had not before particularly
observed it.

"What is that?" I asked.

"It is one of our telescopes," he replied. "I am going to let you take
a look, if you choose, at your home, and test for yourself the powers
of which I have boasted;" and having adjusted the instrument to his
satisfaction, he showed me where to apply my eye to what answered to the
eye-piece.

I could not repress an exclamation of amazement, for truly he had
exaggerated nothing. The little college town which was my home lay
spread out before me, seemingly almost as near as when I looked down
upon it from my observatory windows. It was early morning, and the
village was waking up. The milkmen were going their rounds, and workmen,
with their dinner-pails, where hurrying along the streets. The early
train was just leaving the railroad station. I could see the puffs from
the smoke-stack, and the jets from the cylinders. It was strange not to
hear the hissing of the steam, so near I seemed. There were the college
buildings on the hill, the long rows of windows flashing back the level
sunbeams. I could tell the time by the college clock. It struck me
that there was an unusual bustle around the buildings, considering
the earliness of the hour. A crowd of men stood about the door of the
observatory, and many others were hurrying across the campus in that
direction. Among them I recognized President Byxbee, accompanied by the
college janitor. As I gazed they reached the observatory, and, passing
through the group about the door, entered the building. The president
was evidently going up to my quarters. At this it flashed over me quite
suddenly that all this bustle was on my account. I recalled how it was
that I came to be on Mars, and in what condition I had left affairs
in the observatory. It was high time I were back there to look after
myself.

Here abruptly ended the extraordinary document which I found that
morning on my desk. That it is the authentic record of the conditions of
life in another world which it purports to be I do not expect the reader
to believe. He will no doubt explain it as another of the curious freaks
of somnambulism set down in the books. Probably it was merely that,
possibly it was something more. I do not pretend to decide the question.
I have told all the facts of the case, and have no better means for
forming an opini