| 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]: sides with all the regularity of a Rider Engine. Tattine's first thought was
for the rabbit, and she held it close to her, stroking it with one little
brown trembling hand and saying, "There! there! Hush, you little dear; you're
safe now, don't be frightened! Tattine wouldn't hurt you for the world." Her
next thought was for Doctor, and she turned on him with a torrent of abuse,
that ought to have made the hair of that young M.D. stand on end. "Oh, you
cruel, CRUEL dog! whatever made you do such a thing as this? I never dreamt it
of you, never." At this Betsy's tail dropped between her legs, for she was a
coward at heart, but Doctor held his ground, his tail standing on end, as his
hair should have done, and his eyes all the while fairly devouring the little
rabbit. "And the worst of it," continued Tattine, "is that no matter how sorry
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Alexander's Bridge by Willa Cather: and gave her hand to each in turn. The men
went out of the house and through the yard
with their caps in their hands. They were
too much confused to say anything
as they went down the hill.
Horton himself was almost as deeply perplexed.
"Mamie," he said to his wife, when he came out
of the spare room half an hour later,
"will you take Mrs. Alexander the things
she needs? She is going to do everything
herself. Just stay about where you can
Alexander's Bridge |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Light of Western Stars by Zane Grey: "Resign?" questioned Stewart.
"Shore. What 'd you think I'd do under circumstances sich as has
come up?"
"But see here, Nels, I won't stand for it."
"You're not my boss no more, an' I ain't beholdin' to Miss
Hammond, neither. I'm my own boss, an' I'll do as I please.
Sabe, senor?"
Nels's words were at variance with the meaning in his face.
"Gene, you sent me on a little scout down in the mountains,
didn't you?" he continued.
"Yes, I did," replied Stewart, with a new sharpness in his voice.
The Light of Western Stars |
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 When the World Shook by H. Rider Haggard: materialise into an active god who brought sorcerers of the
highest reputation to a most unpleasant end, just because they
wished to translate their preaching into practice, was another
matter. It was not to be explained even by the fact of which he
himself had informed me, that during the dreadful storm of some
months before, the cave mouth which previously was not visible on
the volcano, had suddenly been lifted up above the level of the
Rock of Offerings, although, of course, all religious and
instructed persons would have expected something peculiar to
happen after this event.
Such I knew were his thoughts, but, as I have said, he was too
When the World Shook |
