| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Voice of the City by O. Henry: He stacked snow-topped mountains on the table,
freezing the hot dishes of the waiting diners. With
a wave of his hand he swept the clubhouse into a
pine-crowned gorge, turning the waiters into a grim
posse, and each listener into a blood-stained fugitive,
climbing with torn fingers upon the ensanguined
rocks. He touched the table and spake, and the five
panted as they gazed on barren lava beds, and each
man took his tongue between his teeth and felt his
mouth bake at the tale of a land empty of water and
food. As simply as Homer sang, while he dug a tine
The Voice of the City |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Enemies of Books by William Blades: bibliographical dainties, preliminary to the coarser pleasures enjoyed
at the dinner-table. The "home" was an old mansion in the outskirts
of London, whose very architecture was suggestive of black-letter
and sheep-skin. The weather, alas! was rainy, and, as they
approached the house, loud peals of laughter reached their ears.
The children were keeping a birthday with a few young friends.
The damp forbad all outdoor play, and, having been left too
much to their own devices, they had invaded the library.
It was just after the Battle of Balaclava, and the heroism of
the combatants on that hard-fought field was in everybody's mouth.
So the mischievous young imps divided themselves into two opposing camps--
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Black Beauty by Anna Sewell: of Ginger; we neighed to each other as I was led off,
and she trotted anxiously along by the hedge, calling to me
as long as she could hear the sound of my feet.
Through the recommendation of York, I was bought by the master
of the livery stables. I had to go by train, which was new to me,
and required a good deal of courage the first time;
but as I found the puffing, rushing, whistling, and, more than all,
the trembling of the horse-box in which I stood did me no real harm,
I soon took it quietly.
When I reached the end of my journey I found myself
in a tolerably comfortable stable, and well attended to.
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