| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Call of the Canyon by Zane Grey: sensible."
At Flo's call the fellow halted with a grin. He was long, lean, loose
jointed, dressed in blue overalls stuck into the tops of muddy boots, and
his face was clear olive without beard or line. His brow bulged a little,
and from under it peered out a pair of wistful brown eyes that reminded
Carley of those of a dog she had once owned.
"Wal, it ain't a-goin' to be a nice day," remarked Charley, as he tried to
accommodate his strides to Carley's steps.
"How can you tell?" asked Carley. "It looks clear and bright."
"Naw, this is a dark mawnin'. Thet's a cloudy sun. We'll hev snow on an'
off."
The Call of the Canyon |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Emma McChesney & Co. by Edna Ferber: out! Stride! Swing! Walk!"
Myrtle tried it, stumbled, sulked.
Emma, half smiling, half woeful, patted the girl's shoulder.
"Oh, I see; you're wearing a tight one. Well, run in and get
into the skirt. Miss Loeb will help you. Then come back
here--and quickly, please."
The three looked at each other in silence. It was a silence
brimming with eloquent meaning. Each sought encouragement in the
eyes of the other--and failed to find it. Failing, they broke
into helpless laughter. It proved a safety-valve.
"She may do, Emma--when she has her hair done differently, and
Emma McChesney & Co. |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Shadow Line by Joseph Conrad: as much as to say, "Aren't you going yet?" and then
turned his thoughts from his new captain back to
the old, who, being dead, had no authority, was not
in anybody's way, and was much easier to deal with.
Mr. Burns dealt with him at some length. He
was a peculiar man--of sixty-five about--iron gray,
hard-faced, obstinate, and uncommunicative. He
used to keep the ship loafing at sea for inscrutable
reasons. Would come on deck at night sometimes,
take some sail off her, God only knows why or
wherefore, then go below, shut himself up in his
The Shadow Line |
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 Heroes by Charles Kingsley: the darkness far beyond.
And when he saw them coming he lifted up his head, and
watched them with his small bright eyes, and flashed his
forked tongue, and roared like the fire among the woodlands,
till the forest tossed and groaned. For his cries shook the
trees from leaf to root, and swept over the long reaches of
the river, and over Aietes' hall, and woke the sleepers in
the city, till mothers clasped their children in their fear.
But Medeia called gently to him, and he stretched out his
long spotted neck, and licked her hand, and looked up in her
face, as if to ask for food. Then she made a sign to
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