| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Tattine by Ruth Ogden [Mrs. Charles W. Ide]: though quiet. Finally he stretched himself, got on his feet, cocked up his
ears, and came and stood in front of Betsy, and although not a sound was
heard, he said, so that Betsy perfectly understood him, "I can't stand this
any longer. If you have any love for me do please come for a run."
Then Betsy took one long stretch and with motherly self-sacrifice reluctantly
got up, prepared to humor this lively boy of hers. Suddenly Doctor craned his
head high in the air, and gave a little sniff, and then Betsy craned her head
and sniffed. Then they stole as stealthily away as though stepping upon eggs,
and Tattine never knew that they had gone. It was no stealthy treading very
long, however. No sooner had they crossed the roadway than they made sure of
the scent they thought they had discovered, and made one wild rush down
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Black Arrow by Robert Louis Stevenson: Daniel Brackley, Bennet came up to his pupil to wish him God-speed
upon his enterprise.
"Ye must go the long way about, Master Shelton," he said; "round by
the bridge, for your life! Keep a sure man fifty paces afore you,
to draw shots; and go softly till y' are past the wood. If the
rogues fall upon you, ride for 't; ye will do naught by standing.
And keep ever forward, Master Shelton; turn me not back again, an
ye love your life; there is no help in Tunstall, mind ye that. And
now, since ye go to the great wars about the king, and I continue
to dwell here in extreme jeopardy of my life, and the saints alone
can certify if we shall meet again below, I give you my last
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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 Street of Seven Stars by Mary Roberts Rinehart: outraged at his conduct had she not now and then caught him
watching her, seen the wretchedness in his eyes.
The form of Marie's revenge was unpremeditated, after all. The
light mountain snow was augmented by a storm; roads were ploughed
through early in the morning, leaving great banks on either side.
Sleigh-bells were everywhere. Coasting parties made the steep
roads a menace to the pedestrian; every up-climbing sleigh
carried behind it a string of sleds, going back to the
starting-point.
Below the hotel was the Serpentine Coast, a long and dangerous
course, full of high-banked curves, of sudden descents, of long
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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 The Master Key by L. Frank Baum: "Oh, you are!" said Rob, amazed. "Then you know--"
"I know all about your foolish experiences," interrupted the Demon,
"for I have been with you constantly, although I remained invisible."
"Then you know what a jolly time I've had," returned the boy. "But
why do you call them foolish experiences?"
"Because they were, abominably foolish!" retorted the Demon, bitterly.
"I entrusted to you gifts of rare scientific interest--electrical
devices of such utility that their general adoption by mankind would
create a new era in earth life. I hoped your use of these devices
would convey such hints to electrical engineers that they would
quickly comprehend their mechanism and be able to reproduce them in
The Master Key |
