| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from A Horse's Tale by Mark Twain: out her prodigal love upon every creature that will take it, high
or low, Christian or pagan, feathered or furred; and none has
declined it to date, and none ever will, I think. But she has a
temper, and sometimes it catches fire and flames up, and is likely
to burn whatever is near it; but it is soon over, the passion goes
as quickly as it comes. Of course she has an Indian name already;
Indians always rechristen a stranger early. Thunder-Bird attended
to her case. He gave her the Indian equivalent for firebug, or
fire-fly. He said:
"'Times, ver' quiet, ver' soft, like summer night, but when she mad
she blaze."
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Essays of Francis Bacon by Francis Bacon: in which severally things of beauty may be then
in season. For December, and January, and the
latter part of November, you must take such things
as are green all winter: holly; ivy; bays; juniper;
cypress-trees; yew; pine-apple-trees; fir-trees;
rosemary; lavender; periwinkle, the white, the
purple, and the blue; germander; flags; orange-
trees; lemon-trees; and myrtles, if they be stoved;
and sweet marjoram, warm set. There followeth,
for the latter part of January and February, the
mezereon-tree, which then blossoms; crocus ver-
Essays of Francis Bacon |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from A Drama on the Seashore by Honore de Balzac: a business which only needs a little knack and a great deal of
patience."
"But how can two persons live on twelve sous a day?"
"Oh, monsieur, we eat cakes made of buckwheat, and barnacles which I
get off the rocks."
"How old are you?"
"Thirty-seven."
"Did you ever leave Croisic?"
"I went once to Guerande to draw for the conscription; and I went to
Savenay to the messieurs who measure for the army. If I had been half
an inch taller they'd have made me a soldier. I should have died of my
|
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 Circular Staircase by Mary Roberts Rinehart: Just inside he was shot, by some one on the circular staircase.
The shot fired, your nephew and Bailey left the house at once,
going toward the automobile house. They left by the lower road,
which prevented them being heard, and when you and Miss Gertrude
got down-stairs everything was quiet."
"But--Gertrude's story," I stammered.
"Miss Gertrude only brought forward her explanation the following
morning. I do not believe it, Miss Innes. It is the story of a
loving and ingenious woman."
"And--this thing to-night?"
"May upset my whole view of the case. We must give the benefit
The Circular Staircase |
