Today's Stichomancy for William Randolph Hearst
| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Protagoras by Plato: hiring for a great sum the voice of a flute instead of their own breath, to
be the medium of intercourse among them: but where the company are real
gentlemen and men of education, you will see no flute-girls, nor dancing-
girls, nor harp-girls; and they have no nonsense or games, but are
contented with one another's conversation, of which their own voices are
the medium, and which they carry on by turns and in an orderly manner, even
though they are very liberal in their potations. And a company like this
of ours, and men such as we profess to be, do not require the help of
another's voice, or of the poets whom you cannot interrogate about the
meaning of what they are saying; people who cite them declaring, some that
the poet has one meaning, and others that he has another, and the point
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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 Life and Adventures of Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum: board, he found the sun had baked it to the hardness of stone, and it
was strong enough to be safely handled.
Claus now painted the nymph with great care in the likeness of Necile,
giving it deep-blue eyes, white teeth, rosy lips and ruddy-brown hair.
The gown he colored oak-leaf green, and when the paint was dry Claus
himself was charmed with the new toy. Of course it was not nearly so
lovely as the real Necile; but, considering the material of which it
was made, Claus thought it was very beautiful.
When Bessie, riding upon her white palfrey, came to his dwelling next
day, Claus presented her with the new toy. The little girl's eyes
were brighter than ever as she examined the pretty image, and she
 The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Large Catechism by Dr. Martin Luther: to shun falsehood, and especially to avoid the use of God's name in its
support. For where they are allowed to do as they please, no good will
result, as is even now evident that the world is worse than it has ever
been and that there is no government, no obedience, no fidelity, no
faith, but only daring, unbridled men, whom no teaching or reproof
helps; all of which is God's wrath and punishment for such wanton
contempt of this commandment.
On the other hand, they should be constantly urged and incited to
honor God's name, and to have it always upon their lips in everything
that may happen to them or come to their notice: For that is the true
honor of His Name, to look to it and implore it for all consolation, so
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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 $30,000 Bequest and Other Stories by Mark Twain: and let my limps go on trembling until they got steady again;
then I crept warily back, alert, watching, and ready to fly if there
was occasion; and when I was come near, I parted the branches
of a rose-bush and peeped through--wishing the man was about,
I was looking so cunning and pretty--but the sprite was gone.
I went there, and there was a pinch of delicate pink dust in the hole.
I put my finger in, to feel it, and said OUCH! and took it
out again. It was a cruel pain. I put my finger in my mouth;
and by standing first on one foot and then the other, and grunting,
I presently eased my misery; then I was full of interest, and began
to examine.
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