| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe: most faithfully, as a Christian woman should--to do my duty to
these poor, simple, dependent creatures. I have cared for them,
instructed them, watched over them, and know all their little cares
and joys, for years; and how can I ever hold up my head again among
them, if, for the sake of a little paltry gain, we sell such a
faithful, excellent, confiding creature as poor Tom, and tear from
him in a moment all we have taught him to love and value? I have
taught them the duties of the family, of parent and child, and
husband and wife; and how can I bear to have this open acknowledgment
that we care for no tie, no duty, no relation, however sacred,
compared with money? I have talked with Eliza about her boy--her
Uncle Tom's Cabin |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Lair of the White Worm by Bram Stoker: piano-wire for testing any probable depth. The wire passed easily
over the running wheel, and when this was once fixed over the hole,
he was satisfied to wait till the most advantageous time for his
final experiment.
In the meantime, affairs had been going quietly at Mercy Farm.
Lilla, of course, felt lonely in the absence of her cousin, but the
even tenor of life went on for her as for others. After the first
shock of parting was over, things went back to their accustomed
routine. In one respect, however, there was a marked difference.
So long as home conditions had remained unchanged, Lilla was content
to put ambition far from her, and to settle down to the life which
Lair of the White Worm |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from My Antonia by Willa Cather: and are better than anything that can ever happen to one again.
I owe it to Lena Lingard that I went to see Antonia at last.
I was in San Francisco two summers ago when both Lena and Tiny
Soderball were in town. Tiny lives in a house of her own,
and Lena's shop is in an apartment house just around the corner.
It interested me, after so many years, to see the two women together.
Tiny audits Lena's accounts occasionally, and invests her money for her;
and Lena, apparently, takes care that Tiny doesn't grow too miserly.
`If there's anything I can't stand,' she said to me in Tiny's presence,
`it's a shabby rich woman.' Tiny smiled grimly and assured me that Lena
would never be either shabby or rich. `And I don't want to be,'
My Antonia |
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 Oakdale Affair by Edgar Rice Burroughs: Case. "Yew seen him?"
The Kid nodded.
"I never tuk much stock in them stories," said Jeb,
with a shake of his head; "but ef you SEEN it! Gosh! Thet
beats me. Come on M'randy, les see what we got to
spare," and he turned into the kitchen with his wife.
The lanky boy stepped, out and planting himself in
front of The Oskaloosa Kid proceeded to stare at him.
"Yew seen it?" be asked in awestruck tone.
"Yes," said the Kid in a low voice, and bending close
toward the other; "it had bloody froth on its lips!"
The Oakdale Affair |
