| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Main Street by Sinclair Lewis: reflected Vida.
Carol's was the only vote cast against "The Girl from
Kankakee."
II
She disliked "The Girl from Kankakee" even more than
she had expected. It narrated the success of a farm-lassie in
clearing her brother of a charge of forgery. She became secretary
to a New York millionaire and social counselor to his
wife; and after a well-conceived speech on the discomfort of
having money, she married his son.
There was also a humorous office-boy.
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Black Arrow by Robert Louis Stevenson: the ladies, still hesitated to give the word to shoot, Hatch's
little band sprang to their weapons and formed back to back as for
a fierce resistance. In the hurry of their change of place, Joanna
sprang from her seat and ran like an arrow to her lover's side.
"Here, Dick!" she cried, as she clasped his hand in hers.
But Dick still stood irresolute; he was yet young to the more
deplorable necessities of war, and the thought of old Lady Brackley
checked the command upon his tongue. His own men became restive.
Some of them cried on him by name; others, of their own accord,
began to shoot; and at the first discharge poor Bennet bit the
dust. Then Dick awoke.
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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 Heroes by Charles Kingsley: and the bull, and coursing goats and deer among the rocks;
till upon all the mountains there was no hunter so swift as
Theseus; and he killed Phaia the wild sow of Crommyon, which
wasted all the land; till all the people said, 'Surely the
Gods are with the lad.'
And when his eighteenth year was past, Aithra led him up
again to the temple, and said, 'Theseus, lift the stone this
day, or never know who you are.' And Theseus went into the
thicket, and stood over the stone, and tugged at it; and it
moved. Then his spirit swelled within him, and he said, 'If
I break my heart in my body, it shall up.' And he tugged at
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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 An Unsocial Socialist by George Bernard Shaw: a lie is, belonging as you do to a class where none is ever told.
But common people like me tells lies just as a duck swims. I ask
your pardon, Miss, most humble, and I hope the young ladies'll be
able to tell one set of skates from t'other; for I'm blest if I
can."
"Put them down. Miss Wilson wishes to speak to you before you go.
Susan, show him the way."
"Hope you ain't been and got a poor cove into trouble, Miss?"
"Miss Wilson knows how you have behaved."
He smiled at her benevolently and followed Susan upstairs. On
their way they met Jane, who stole a glance at him, and was about
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