| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Betty Zane by Zane Grey: Wetzel and others say they actually saw the deed done, so I must accept it,"
said Major McColloch.
"It seems incredible!" said Alfred. "I cannot understand how a man or horse
could go over that precipice and live."
"That is what we all say," responded the Colonel. "I suppose I shall have to
tell the story. We have fighters and makers of history here, but few talkers."
"I am anxious to hear it," answered Clarke, "and I am curious to see this man
Wetzel, whose fame has reached as far as my home, way down in Virginia."
"You will have your wish gratified soon, I have no doubt," resumed the
Colonel. "Well, now for the story of McColloch's mad ride for life and his
wonderful leap down Wheeling hill. A year ago, when the fort was besieged by
Betty Zane |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Critias by Plato: from accident, or from advancing age, or from a sense of the artistic
difficulty of the design, cannot be determined.
CRITIAS.
PERSONS OF THE DIALOGUE: Critias, Hermocrates, Timaeus, Socrates.
TIMAEUS: How thankful I am, Socrates, that I have arrived at last, and,
like a weary traveller after a long journey, may be at rest! And I pray
the being who always was of old, and has now been by me revealed, to grant
that my words may endure in so far as they have been spoken truly and
acceptably to him; but if unintentionally I have said anything wrong, I
pray that he will impose upon me a just retribution, and the just
retribution of him who errs is that he should be set right. Wishing, then,
|
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Tales and Fantasies by Robert Louis Stevenson: that naval officer, although still alive, and now more
suitably installed in a seaport town where he has a telescope
and a flag in his front garden, is incapable of throwing the
slightest gleam of light upon the affair. Often and often
has he remarked to the present writer: 'If I know what it was
all about, sir, I'll be - ' in short, be what I hope he will
not. And then he will look across at his daughter's
portrait, a photograph, shake his head with an amused
appearance, and mix himself another grog by way of
consolation. Once I heard him go farther, and express his
feelings with regard to Esther in a single but eloquent word.
|
