| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Light of Western Stars by Zane Grey: the news of his capture stirred up excitement. We did all we
could to get his release. The guerrillas feared to execute him
here, and believed he might be aided to escape. So a detachment
departed with him for Mezquital."
"He was sentenced to be shot Thursday at sunset--to-night?"
"Yes. It was rumored there was a personal resentment against
Stewart. I regret that I can't give you definite information.
If you are friends of Stewart--relatives--I might find--"
"I am his wife," interrupted Madeline. "Will you please read
these." She handed him the telegrams. "Advise me--help me, if
you can?"
The Light of Western Stars |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Deputy of Arcis by Honore de Balzac: have unconsciously played a part. Yes, madame, the Saint-Ursula for
which, unknown to yourself, you were posing, will have, to all
appearances, a considerable influence on the election of our friend.
The case is this:
For many years Mother Marie-des-Anges, superior of the Ursuline
convent at Arcis-sur-Aube, has desired to install in the chapel of her
convent an image of its patron saint. But this abbess, who is a woman
of taste and intelligence, would not listen to the idea of one of
those stock figures which can be bought ready-made from the venders of
church decorations. On the other hand, she thought it was robbing her
poor to spend on this purpose the large sum necessary to procure a
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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 Lemorne Versus Huell by Elizabeth Drew Stoddard: lively conversation. To me he was deferential, but went over the
ground of our acquaintance as if it had been the most natural thing
in the world. But for my life-long habit of never calling in
question the behavior of those I came in contact with, and of never
expecting any thing different from that I received, I might have
wondered over his visit. Every person's individuality was sacred to
me, from the fact, perhaps, that my own individuality had never
been respected by any person with whom I had any relation--not even
by my own mother.
After Mr. Uxbridge went, I asked Aunt Eliza if she thought he
looked mean and cunning? She laughed, and replied that she was
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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 Vicar of Tours by Honore de Balzac: sensitiveness, and those who have missed their destiny, or who suffer
by their own fault.
Without really fathoming the vacuity and emptiness of Mademoiselle
Gamard's mind, or stating to himself the pettiness of her ideas, the
poor abbe perceived, unfortunately too late, the defects which she
shared with all old maids, and those which were peculiar to herself.
The bad points of others show out so strongly against the good that
they usually strike our eyes before they wound us. This moral
phenomenon might, at a pinch, be made to excuse the tendency we all
have, more or less, to gossip. It is so natural, socially speaking, to
laugh at the failings of others that we ought to forgive the ridicule
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