Today's Stichomancy for Ricky Martin

The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Tom Grogan by F. Hopkinson Smith:

"But they can't take your contract away," said Babcock indignantly, "no matter what Rowan says."

"Oh, it's not that--it's not that. That's not what hurts me. I can git another contract. That's not what breaks me heart. But if they take me Tom's NAME from me, an' say I can't be Tom Grogan any more; it's like robbin' me of my life. When I work on the docks I allus brace myself an' say' I'm doing just what Tom did many a day for me.' When I sign his name to me checks an' papers,--the name I've loved an' that I've worked for, the name I've kep' clean for him--me Tom that loved me, an' never lied or was mean--me Tom that I promised, an'--an'"--

The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Somebody's Little Girl by Martha Young:

clothes, and at the nurses rolling the babies in the pretty carriages with the beautiful pink, and white, and blue parasols over the babies' heads.

Then Sister Helen Vincula said: ``Bessie Bell, I am going across the long bridge to see some ladies and to tell them Good-bye, because we are going away tomorrow.

And Sister Helen Vincula said: ``Now, will you stay right here on this stone bench till I come back for you?''

Bessie Bell said, ``Yes, Sister Helen Vincula.''

So Sister Helen Vincula went away across the long bridge to see the ladies and to tell them Good-bye.

The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Sportsman by Xenophon:

the net be great, and a larger number when the nets are slack.[19]

[3] Phasian or Carchedonian. Cf. Pollux, v. 26.

[4] {arkus, enodia, diktua}.

[5] [L. Dind. brackets.] See Pollux, v. 27, ap. Schn.

[6] {spithame}, a span (dodrans) = 7 1/2 inches. Herod. ii. 106; {trispithamos}, Hes. "Op." 424; Plat. "Alc." i. 126 C; Aristot. "H. A." viii. 28. 5; Polyb. v. 3-6.

[7] {to megethos}.

[8] Or, "eight fingers' breadth +" = 6 inches +. {palaiste} or {palaste}, a palm or four fingers' breadth = 3 inches +.

[9] {tous brokhous}, a purse or tunnel arrangement with slip loop.

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 The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry:

are wisest. They are the magi.

End of this Project Gutenberg Etext of THE GIFT OF THE MAGI.

The Gift of the Magi