| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Fantastic Fables by Ambrose Bierce: Grave Person. "What answer did he give you?"
"He said it was about three o'clock," replied the Man in a Hurry;
"but he did not look at his watch, and as the sun is nearly down, I
think it is later."
"The fact that the sun is nearly down," the Grave Person said, "is
immaterial, but the fact that he did not consult his timepiece and
make answer after due deliberation and consideration is fatal. The
answer given," continued the Grave Person, consulting his own
timepiece, "is of no effect, invalid, and absurd."
"What, then," said the Man in a Hurry, eagerly, "is the time of
day?"
Fantastic Fables |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs: voiced that hideous and fearsome shriek."
"But it did, Miss Porter," replied Clayton; "or at least if
not a human throat that of a forest god."
And then he told her of his experiences with this strange
creature--of how twice the wild man had saved his life--of
the wondrous strength, and agility, and bravery--of the
brown skin and the handsome face.
"I cannot make it out at all," he concluded. "At first I
thought he might be Tarzan of the Apes; but he neither
speaks nor understands English, so that theory is untenable."
"Well, whatever he may be," cried the girl, "we owe him
Tarzan of the Apes |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Fanny Herself by Edna Ferber: that baby, once it is wearing our No. 29E798--chubby babies,
curly-headed, and dimply. And the feature of that catalogue
ought to be, not separate garments, but complete outfits.
Outfits boxed, ready for shipping, and ranging in price all
the way from twenty-five dollars to three-ninety-eight--"
"It can't be done!" yelled Slosson. "Three-ninety-eight!
Outfits!"
"It can be done. I've figured it out, down to a packet of
assorted size safety pins. We'll call it our emergency
outfit. Thirty pieces. And while we're about it, every
outfit over five dollars ought to be packed in a pink or a
Fanny Herself |
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 Lady Baltimore by Owen Wister: fact, they ought to be grateful to Hortense for contributing
illustriously to the excitement of their lives.
"Of course, I am well aware," Mrs. Gregory pursued, "that the young
people of to-day believe they can all 'teach their grandmothers to suck
eggs,' as we say in Kings Port."
"We say it elsewhere, too," I mildly put in.
"Indeed? I didn't know that the North, with its pest of Hebrew and other
low immigrants, had retained any of the good old homely saws which we
brought from England. But do you imagine that if the control of marriage
rested in the hands of parents and grandparents (where it properly
belongs), you would be witnessing in the North this disgusting spectacle
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