| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Tattine by Ruth Ogden [Mrs. Charles W. Ide]: "I'll break the sugar if you two will make the fire, but Rudolph's to light it
and he's the only one who is to lean over it and put the wood on when it's
needed. Mamma says there is to be a very strict rule about that, because
skirts and fluffy hair like mine and Mabel's are very dangerous about a
fire," and then Tattine proceeded to roll the maple sugar in the brown paper
so as to have two or three thicknesses about it, and then, laying it upon a
flat stone, began to pound and break it with the hammer.
"Yes," said Rudolph, on his knees on the ground, and making balls of newspaper
for the foundation of the fire; "it's lucky for Mabel and me that fire is one
thing about which we can be trusted."
"I shouldn't wonder if it's the only thing," laughed Tattine, whereupon Mabel
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Ten Years Later by Alexandre Dumas: which, in spite of so much grief and so many crosses, he had
never lost. "My Frenchmen! my consolation!" Athos and
D'Artagnan bowed.
"Duke, conduct these gentlemen into my study. I am at your
service, messieurs," added he in French. And he promptly
expedited his court, to return to his Frenchmen, as he
called them. "Monsieur d'Artagnan," said he, as he entered
his closet, "I am glad to see you again."
"Sire, my joy is at its height, at having the honor to
salute your majesty in your own palace of St. James's."
"Monsieur, you have been willing to render me a great
Ten Years Later |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from A Pair of Blue Eyes by Thomas Hardy: cottage, and strode rapidly towards West Endelstow with a light
footstep. Soon ascending from the lower levels he turned a
corner, followed a cart-track, and saw the tower of the church he
was in quest of distinctly shaped forth against the sky. In less
than half an hour from the time of starting he swung himself over
the churchyard stile.
The wild irregular enclosure was as much as ever an integral part
of the old hill. The grass was still long, the graves were shaped
precisely as passing years chose to alter them from their orthodox
form as laid down by Martin Cannister, and by Stephen's own
grandfather before him.
A Pair of Blue Eyes |
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 Glinda of Oz by L. Frank Baum: belts. They wore no hats nor ornaments.
Chapter Six
Flathead Mountain
When they saw that the intruders on their mountain
were only two little girls, the Flatheads grunted with
satisfaction and drew back, permitting them to see what
the mountain top looked like. It was shaped like a
saucer, so that the houses and other buildings -- all
made of rocks -- could not be seen over the edge by
anyone standing in the plain below.
But now a big fat Flathead stood before the girls and
Glinda of Oz |
