| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from O Pioneers! by Willa Cather: from one week's end to another. He kept a
calendar, and every morning he checked off a
day, so that he was never in any doubt as to
which day of the week it was. Ivar hired him-
self out in threshing and corn-husking time,
and he doctored sick animals when he was sent
for. When he was at home, he made ham-
mocks out of twine and committed chapters
of the Bible to memory.
Ivar found contentment in the solitude he
O Pioneers! |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from One Basket by Edna Ferber: in his free hand and struck Dunder a sharp cut with it. It was
the first time in his life that he had done such a thing. If he
had had a sane moment from that time until the day he married
Bella Huckins, he never would have forgotten the dumb hurt in
Dunder's stricken eyes and shrinking, quivering body.
Bella screamed again, still clinging to him. Ben was saying:
"He won't hurt you. He won't hurt you," meanwhile patting her
shoulder reassuringly. He looked down at her pale face. She was
so slight, so childlike, so apparently different from the sturdy
country girls. From--well, from the girls he knew. Her
helplessness, her utter femininity, appealed to all that was
One Basket |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Songs of Travel by Robert Louis Stevenson: A fool were tempted to deny his God.
He sees, he shrinks. But if he gaze again,
Lo, beauty springing from the breast of pain!
He marks the sisters on the mournful shores;
And even a fool is silent and adores.
Guest House, Kalawao, Molokai.
XXXII - IN MEMORIAM E. H.
I KNEW a silver head was bright beyond compare,
I knew a queen of toil with a crown of silver hair.
Garland of valour and sorrow, of beauty and renown,
Life, that honours the brave, crowned her himself with the crown.
|
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 Man in Lower Ten by Mary Roberts Rinehart: "Well, so be it. Now for our bargain. You will admit that I am no
fool."
I made no such admission, and she smiled mockingly.
"How flattering you are!" she said. "Very well. Now for the
premises. You take to Pittsburg four notes held by the Mechanics'
National Bank, to have Mr. Gilmore, who is ill, declare his
indorsement of them forged.
"On the journey back to Pittsburg two things happen to you: you lose
your clothing, your valise and your papers, including the notes, and
you are accused of murder. In fact, Mr. Blakeley, the circumstances
were most singular, and the evidence - well, almost conclusive."
The Man in Lower Ten |
