| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Bucky O'Connor by William MacLeod Raine: The bully, half seas over, leaned forward and gripped his knife.
He was sober enough to catch the jeer running through the other's
words without being sufficiently master of himself to appreciate
the menace that underlay them.
"Wha's that? Say that again!" he burst out, purple to the collar
line. He was not used to having beardless boys with long, soft
eyelashes interfering with his amusements, and a blind rage
flooded his heart.
"I allowed that a change of targets would vary the entertainment,
if you haven't any objections, seh," the blue-eyed stranger
explained mildly.
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Collected Articles by Frederick Douglass: without acquaintance, without money, without credit, without work,
and without any definite knowledge as to what course to take,
or where to look for succor. In such an extremity, a man had something
besides his new-born freedom to think of. While wandering about the streets
of New York, and lodging at least one night among the barrels on one
of the wharves, I was indeed free--from slavery, but free from
food and shelter as well. I kept my secret to myself as long as I could,
but I was compelled at last to seek some one who would befriend me without
taking advantage of my destitution to betray me. Such a person I found
in a sailor named Stuart, a warm-hearted and generous fellow, who, from his
humble home on Centre street, saw me standing on the opposite sidewalk,
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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 Iron Puddler by James J. Davis: you. Industry first and literature afterward. And if you wish to
see that kind of school in action, you can see it at Mooseheart,
Illinois.
There is a school with more than a thousand students, boys and
girls of various ages, ranging from one month to eighteen years.
Some of the students were born there, the mother having been
admitted with her youngsters soon after the loss of the father.
Each lad will get an introduction to a dozen trades, and when he
selects the one that fits him best, he will specialize in that
and graduate at eighteen, prepared for life. This education is
the gift of more than half a million foster fathers. The Moose
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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 Grimm's Fairy Tales by Brothers Grimm: so she whispered to Frederick, 'I must throw the vinegar down.' 'Pray
don't,' answered he, 'it will discover us.' 'I can't help that,' said
she, 'go it must.' So she poured all the vinegar down; and the thieves
said, 'What a heavy dew there is!'
At last it popped into Catherine's head that it was the door itself
that was so heavy all the time: so she whispered, 'Frederick, I must
throw the door down soon.' But he begged and prayed her not to do so,
for he was sure it would betray them. 'Here goes, however,' said she:
and down went the door with such a clatter upon the thieves, that they
cried out 'Murder!' and not knowing what was coming, ran away as fast
as they could, and left all the gold. So when Frederick and Catherine
Grimm's Fairy Tales |
