| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Wyoming by William MacLeod Raine: a second hill reduced this somewhat. She had not yet recovered
control of the machine, but, though her eyes instinctively
followed the white road that flashed past, she again had
photographed on her brain the scene of the turbid tragedy in
which she was intervening.
At the foot of the butte the road circled and dipped into the
coulee. She braced herself for the shock, but, though the wheels
skidded till her heart was in her throat, the automobile, hanging
on the balance of disaster, swept round in safety.
Her horn screamed an instant warning to the trapped man. She
could not see him, and for an instant her heart sank with the
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Marie by H. Rider Haggard: to go and find out what medicine it is that she needs, for you can speak
our tongue."
I hesitated, then translated what he had said to Retief.
"You had best go, nephew," said the commandant; "but come back quickly,
for we ride at once."
Still I hesitated, not liking this business; whereon the king began to
grow angry.
"What!" he said, "do you white men refuse me this little favour, when I
have just given you so much--you who have wonderful medicines that can
cure the sick?"
"Go, Allan, go," said Retief, when he understood his words, "or he will
Marie |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Life on the Mississippi by Mark Twain: in the distance, a ragged and angular-limbed and moss-bearded cypress,
top standing out, clear cut against the sky, and as quaint of form as the
apple-trees in Japanese pictures--such was our course and the surroundings
of it. There was an occasional alligator swimming comfortably along
in the canal, and an occasional picturesque colored person on the bank,
flinging his statue-rigid reflection upon the still water and watching
for a bite.
And by-and-bye we reached the West End, a collection of hotels of
the usual light summer-resort pattern, with broad verandas all around,
and the waves of the wide and blue Lake Pontchartrain lapping the thresholds.
We had dinner on a ground-veranda over the water--the chief dish the renowned
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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 Foolish Virgin by Thomas Dixon: she die!
"He laugh and curse and strike me, and I fight him
like a tiger. He was strong--he throw me down on the
floor and gouge my eye out with his big claw----"
"Oh, my God," Mary sobbed.
Ella sprang to her feet and bent over the girl with
trembling eagerness.
"You keep my secret, meine liebe?"
"Yes--yes----"
"I never tell a soul on earth what I tell you now--
I just eat my heart out and keep still all the years, I
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