| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Red Seal by Natalie Sumner Lincoln: break the short silence. "In that case there is nothing more to
be said," he remarked, and picking up the check handed it to Mrs.
Brewster. Without a glance at it, she folded the paper and placed
it inside her gold mesh bag.
"I must not take up any more of your time," she said. "I thank
you - both."
"Mrs. Brewster." Clymer spoke impulsively. "I'd like to shake hands
with you."
Coloring warmly, the widow slipped her small hand inside his, and
with a friendly bow to McDonald, she walked through the bank,
keeping up with Clymer's long strides as best she could. As they
The Red Seal |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Life on the Mississippi by Mark Twain: of the Arkansas. First, they were greeted by the natives
of this locality as Marquette had before been greeted by them--
with the booming of the war drum and the flourish of arms.
The Virgin composed the difficulty in Marquette's case;
the pipe of peace did the same office for La Salle. The white man
and the red man struck hands and entertained each other during
three days. Then, to the admiration of the savages, La Salle set
up a cross with the arms of France on it, and took possession
of the whole country for the king--the cool fashion of the time--
while the priest piously consecrated the robbery with a hymn.
The priest explained the mysteries of the faith 'by signs,'
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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 The Coxon Fund by Henry James: anything else in the world makes people so gross as unselfishness.
I uttered, I suppose, some vague synthetic cry, for she went on as
if she had had a glimpse of my inward amaze at such passages. "I
assure you, my dear friend, he was in one of his happy hours."
But I wasn't thinking of that. "Truly indeed these Americans!" I
said. "With her father in the very act, as it were, of swindling
her betrothed!"
Mrs. Mulville stared. "Oh I suppose Mr. Anvoy has scarcely gone
bankrupt--or whatever he has done--on purpose. Very likely they
won't be able to keep it up, but there it was, and it was a very
beautiful impulse."
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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 Cruise of the Jasper B. by Don Marquis: in reality the work jumped forward with order and precision, for
the position of every bolt, chain, nail, cord, piece of iron and
bit of wood had been calculated beforehand to a nicety; there was
not a wasted movement of saw, adze, or hammer. The Jasper B., in
short, had been measured accurately for a suit of clothes, the
clothes had been made; they were now merely being put on.
Refreshed by the first sound sleep she had been able to obtain
for several nights, Lady Agatha joined Cleggett at an
eight-o'clock breakfast. It was the first of May, and warm and
bright; in a simple morning dress of pink linen Lady Agatha
stirred in Cleggett a vague recollection of one of Tennyson's
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