| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Poor and Proud by Oliver Optic: to accept a favor of one who is in a humble station." replied
Katy.
"I don't know what will become of us," said Mrs. Redburn, as she
turned her head away to hide the tears that flooded her eyes.
Katy took up the Bible that lay by the bedside, and turning to
the twenty-third psalm, she read, "The Lord is my Shepherd; I
shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; he
leadeth me beside the still waters."
"Go on, Katy; those words are real comfort," said Mrs. Redburn,
drying her tears. "I know it is wicked for me to repine."
Katy read the whole psalm, and followed it with others, which
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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 Yates Pride by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman: "Oh, good heavens, Eudora!"
"Yes," said Eudora, proudly. "I lost nearly everything when that
railroad failed. I had enough left to pay the taxes, and that
was all. After I had used a small sum in the savings-bank there
was nothing. One day I went over to the Lancasters', and
I--well, I had not had much to eat for several days. I was a
little faint, and --"
"Eudora, you poor, darling girl!"
"And the Lancaster girls found out," continued Eudora, calmly.
"They gave me something to eat, and I suppose I ate as if I were
famished. I was."
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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 Garden Party by Katherine Mansfield: up her plate.
"Oh well, give me one," said she.
The silver tongs dropped one, two, three--and a cherry tartlet. "I don't
know why you're giving me all these," she said, and nearly smiled. "I
shan't eat them; I couldn't!"
I felt much more comfortable. I sipped my tea, leaned back, and even asked
if I might smoke. At that she paused, the fork in her hand, opened her
eyes, and really did smile. "Of course," said she. "I always expect
people to."
But at that moment a tragedy happened to Hennie. He speared his pastry
horn too hard, and it flew in two, and one half spilled on the table.
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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 Roads of Destiny by O. Henry: soldier, a critic of the world's campaigns and the idol of the people
in Esperando. I had been honoured by his friendship for years. It was
I who first turned his mind to the thought that he should leave for
his monument a new Esperando--a country freed from the rule of
unscrupulous tyrants, and a people made happy and prosperous by wise
and impartial legislation. When he had consented he threw himself into
the cause with the undivided zeal with which he endowed all of his
acts. The coffers of his great fortune were opened to those of us to
whom were entrusted the secret moves of the game. His popularity was
already so great that he had practically forced President Cruz to
offer him the portfolio of Minister of War.
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