| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from In the South Seas by Robert Louis Stevenson: tattoo in the Marquesas, nothing indicates the difference of rank;
and yet almost invariably we found, after we had made them, that
our friends were persons of station. I have said 'usually taller
and stronger.' I might have been more absolute, - over all
Polynesia, and a part of Micronesia, the rule holds good; the great
ones of the isle, and even of the village, are greater of bone and
muscle, and often heavier of flesh, than any commoner. The usual
explanation - that the high-born child is more industriously
shampooed, is probably the true one. In New Caledonia, at least,
where the difference does not exist, has never been remarked, the
practice of shampooing seems to be itself unknown. Doctors would
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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: top of those, and on top of all a row of big round red apples.
Then the lady might have said: Yes, there were apple-trees like that
in the world, for all the nursery walls were papered like that, with
a row of big round red apples at the top.
But Bessie Bell did not think of or remember that then; she just
leaned up against the lady and swung one of her little feet up and
down, back and forth, as she sat on the stone bench: she was so
happy to have met the Wisest Woman in the world.
The people who passed by looked, and turned to look again, at the
little girl in the stiff-starched, faded blue checked apron leaning
up against the lady in the crisp, dull silk.
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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 Bucky O'Connor by William MacLeod Raine: "Unless rumor is a lying jade, you should be a good judge of
that, governor," said the American, eyeing him sternly.
Megales shrugged. "One of the penalties of fame is that one gets
credit for much he does not deserve. There was your immortal
General Lincoln, a wit so famous in your country that every good
story is fathered upon him, I understand. So with your humble
servant. Let a man accomplish his vendetta upon the body of an
enemy, and behold! the world cries: 'A victim of Megales.'"
"Still, if you deserve your reputation as much as our immortal
General Lincoln deserves his, the world may be pardoned for an
occasional error." O'Connor turned to the warden. "What does he
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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 O Pioneers! by Willa Cather: I ta-ank."
Alexandra and Marie laughed at her fore-
handedness, and fell to talking of their own
affairs. "I was afraid you had a cold when I
talked to you over the telephone the other
night, Marie. What was the matter, had you
been crying?"
"Maybe I had," Marie smiled guiltily.
"Frank was out late that night. Don't you get
O Pioneers! |
