in the lower animals, you can understand that their comfort is an object
of our solicitude, and that we take great pleasure in knowing that they
are relieved from all hard labor."

"But you haven't told us," said I, "what is the source of the power that
does all your work."

"Let me ask," replied Thorwald, "if you have begun to use electricity
yet?"

"Yes," I answered, "we are trying to harness it, but it is still far from
obedient to us."

"I perceive," said our friend, "from this and other things you have told
me, that your development is going on in about the order which has
prevailed on Mars. Do not be discouraged in your efforts to bring that
mysterious and wonderful agent, electricity, into complete subjection. You
will find it your most useful servant, and in connection with aluminum it
will enable you to solve numerous problems and remove many difficulties
from your path of progress.

"Here we have made full use of both of these valuable helps. Electricity
enters into every department of life.

"It runs our errands, takes us from place to place, builds our houses,
cooks our food, and even is applied to the growth of our food when we are
in haste for any article. Its laws are so well understood that there is no
fear of personal injury from its use, and I will show you how familiar an
aid it is to us. Here," he continued, taking from his pocket a brightly
polished case of metal, "is a compact storage battery, containing, not