| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Gentle Grafter by O. Henry: rustling of General Raven's wings? I'm surprised at you, Elijah.'
"We overtook the stranger in the edge of some woods, and, as it was
after sun-down and in a quiet place, nobody saw us stop him. Bill
takes the silk hat off the man's head and brushes it with his sleeve
and puts it back.
"'What does this mean, sir?' says the man.
"'When I wore one of these,' says Bill, 'and felt embarrassed, I
always done that. Not having one now I had to use yours. I hardly know
how to begin, sir, in explaining our business with you, but I guess
we'll try your pockets first.'
"Bill Bassett felt in all of them, and looked disgusted.
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Story of an African Farm by Olive Schreiner: It makes me feel so strange to put down that letter, that I can hardly go
on writing 'E'. I've loved her ever since I came here. For weeks I have
not been able to eat or drink; my very tobacco when I smoke has no taste;
and I can remain for no more than five minutes in one place, and sometimes
feel as though I were really going mad.
"Every evening I go there to fetch my milk. Yesterday she gave me some
coffee. The spoon fell on the ground. She picked it up; when she gave it
me her finger touched mine. Jemima, I do not know if I fancied it--I
shivered hot, and she shivered too! I thought, 'It is all right; she will
be mine; she loves me!' Just then, Jemima, in came a fellow, a great,
coarse fellow, a German--a ridiculous fellow, with curls right down to his
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| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Outlaw of Torn by Edgar Rice Burroughs: being given an opportunity to fight? There be nothing
to forgive, Joan, unless it be that I should ask forgive-
ness for protecting thee so poorly."
"Do not say that," she commanded. "Never was such
bravery or such swordsmanship in all the world before;
never such a man."
He did not answer. His mind was a chaos of con-
flicting thoughts. The feel of her hands as they had
lingered momentarily, and with a vague caress upon
his cheek, and the pressure of her body as she leaned
against him sent the hot blood coursing through his
The Outlaw of Torn |
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 St. Ives by Robert Louis Stevenson: he added, with a smile: 'only what we can get smuggled out. There
is my aunt in the road, you see,' and he locked me in again with
the indignant hens.
I always smile when I recall that young fellow; and yet, if the
reader were to smile also, I should feel ashamed. If my son shall
be only like him when he comes to that age, it will be a brave day
for me and not a bad one for his country.
At the same time I cannot pretend that I was sorry when his sister
succeeded in his place. She brought me a few crusts of bread and a
jug of milk, which she had handsomely laced with whisky after the
Scottish manner.
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