| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Circular Staircase by Mary Roberts Rinehart: "Was he in the habit of carrying money?"
"He never carried it far. No, he never had more than enough for
current expenses."
Mr. Jamieson got up then and began to pace the room. It was an
unwonted concession to the occasion.
"Then I think we get at it by elimination. The chances are
against flight. If he was hurt, we find no trace of him. It
looks almost like an abduction. This young Doctor Walker--have
you any idea why Mr. Innes should have gone there last night?"
"I can not understand it," Gertrude said thoughtfully. "I don't
think he knew Doctor Walker at all, and--their relations could
The Circular Staircase |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Tin Woodman of Oz by L. Frank Baum: probably the home of Mr. Yoop, a terrible giant whom I
have seen confined in a cage, a long way from here.
Therefore this castle is likely to be empty and we may
use it in any way we please."
"Yes, yes," said the Tin Emperor, nodding; "I also
remember Mr. Yoop. But how are we to get into his
deserted castle? The latch of the door is so far above
our heads that none of us can reach it."
They considered this problem for a while, and then
Woot said to the Tin Man:
"If I stand upon your shoulders, I think I can
The Tin Woodman of Oz |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Captain Stormfield by Mark Twain: you hear about it in the pulpit, but it's as poor a way to put in
valuable time as a body could contrive. It would just make a
heaven of warbling ignoramuses, don't you see? Eternal Rest sounds
comforting in the pulpit, too. Well, you try it once, and see how
heavy time will hang on your hands. Why, Stormfield, a man like
you, that had been active and stirring all his life, would go mad
in six months in a heaven where he hadn't anything to do. Heaven
is the very last place to come to REST in, - and don't you be
afraid to bet on that!"
Says I -
"Sam, I'm as glad to hear it as I thought I'd be sorry. I'm glad I
|
The fourth excerpt represents the element of Earth. It speaks of physical influences and the impact of the unseen on the visible world, and is drawn from Ballads by Robert Louis Stevenson: And a chill fell on the woman. - "Atta! speak! is it you?
Speak! Why are you silent? Why do you bend aside?
Wherefore steer to the seaward?" thus she panted and cried.
Never a word from the oarsman, toiling there in the dark;
But right for a gate of the reef he silently headed the bark,
And wielding the single paddle with passionate sweep on sweep,
Drove her, the little fitted, forth on the open deep.
And fear, there where she sat, froze the woman to stone:
Not fear of the crazy boat and the weltering deep alone;
But a keener fear of the night, the dark, and the ghostly hour,
And the thing that drove the canoe with more than a mortal's power
Ballads |
