| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Lay Morals by Robert Louis Stevenson: judge. At least, in a merely human character, Haddo comes
off not wholly amiss in the matter of these Traquairs: not
that he showed any graces of the Christian, but had a sort of
Pagan decency, which might almost tempt one to be concerned
about his sudden, violent, and unprepared fate.
HEATHERCAT
CHAPTER II - FRANCIE
FRANCIE was eleven years old, shy, secret, and rather
childish of his age, though not backward in schooling, which
had been pushed on far by a private governor, one M'Brair, a
forfeited minister harboured in that capacity at Montroymont.
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Domestic Peace by Honore de Balzac: freshness on the brow and temples for her to be married. What splendid
flesh-tints! Nothing has sunk in the modeling of the nose. Lips, chin,
everything in her face is as fresh as a white rosebud, though the
expression is veiled, as it were, by the clouds of sadness. Who can it
be that makes that young creature weep?"
"Women cry for so little," said the Colonel.
"I do not know," replied Martial; "but she does not cry because she is
left there without a partner; her grief is not of to-day. It is
evident that she has beautified herself for this evening with
intention. I would wager that she is in love already."
"Bah! She is perhaps the daughter of some German princeling; no one
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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 Little Rivers by Henry van Dyke: waters? The wind blows softly down the narrow valley, and the
trees nod from the rocks above you. The noise of the falls makes
constant music in your ears. The river hurries past you, and yet
it is never gone.
The same foam-flakes seem to be always gliding downward, the same
spray dashing over the stones, the same eddy coiling at the edge of
the pool. Send your fly in under those cedar branches, where the
water swirls around by that old log. Now draw it up toward the
foam. There is a sudden gleam of dull gold in the white water.
You strike too soon. Your line comes back to you. In a current
like this, a fish will almost always hook himself. Try it again.
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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 Life on the Mississippi by Mark Twain: with one more reminiscence of 'Stephen.'
Most of the captains and pilots held Stephen's note for
borrowed sums, ranging from two hundred and fifty dollars upward.
Stephen never paid one of these notes, but he was very prompt
and very zealous about renewing them every twelve months.
Of course there came a time, at last, when Stephen could
no longer borrow of his ancient creditors; so he was
obliged to lie in wait for new men who did not know him.
Such a victim was good-hearted, simple natured young Yates
(I use a fictitious name, but the real name began, as this
one does, with a Y). Young Yates graduated as a pilot,
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