| 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]: Mabel had climbed into the wagon, and the donkey, acting upon a suggestion
from Tattine's whip, had started down the roadway. The trio were off for
Patrick's, for this was to be the day of the Kirks' "At Home," and, dressed in
kis Sunday-best, Patrick that very minute was waiting at his door to receive
them.
Full two miles lay ahead of the children, and though Barney fortunately seemed
to be in the mood for doing his best, Patrick would still have a full
half-hour to wait. At last the donkey-cart drew up at the Kirks' door and two
happy old people welcomed three happy little people into their comfortable
little home. It would take another book, the size of this one, to tell you all
the doings of that August day. First they went into the house and laid their
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Miracle Mongers and Their Methods by Harry Houdini: payment of the policy, asserting that the
death was suicide; the case was tried and
the company lost it, and the widow
received the three thousand pounds. The
snake-charmer was sought in vain; he had
the good fortune and good sense to be seen
no more in the Australian colonies.
As several methods of combating the effects
of poisons have been mentioned in the foregoing
pages, I feel in duty bound to carry
the subject a little farther and present a list
Miracle Mongers and Their Methods |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Octopus by Frank Norris: certain degree of attention to this new proposition. He in no
way countenanced it. At any moment he was prepared to rise in
his place and denounce it and Osterman both. It was trickery of
the most contemptible order, a thing he believed to be unknown to
the old school of politics and statesmanship to which he was
proud to belong; but since Harran, even for one moment,
considered it, he, Magnus, who trusted Harran implicitly, would
do likewise--if it was only to oppose and defeat it in its very
beginnings.
And abruptly the discussion began. Gradually Osterman, by dint
of his clamour, his strident reiteration, the plausibility of his
|
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 A Footnote to History by Robert Louis Stevenson: ears were filled with the complaints of suffering humanity, their
time was too short for the multiplicity of pitiful duties. In Mrs.
de Coetlogon, and her helper, Miss Taylor, the merit of this
endurance was perhaps to be looked for; in a man of the colonel's
temper, himself painfully suffering, it was viewed with more
surprise, if with no more admiration. Doubtless all had their
reward in a sense of duty done; doubtless, also, as the days
passed, in the spectacle of many traits of gratitude and patience,
and in the success that waited on their efforts. Out of a hundred
cases treated, only five died. They were all well-behaved, though
full of childish wiles. One old gentleman, a high chief, was
|
