| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from New Poems by Robert Louis Stevenson: IF you see this song, my dear,
And last year's toast,
I'm confoundedly in fear
You'll be serious and severe
About the boast.
Blame not that I sought such aid
To cure regret.
I was then so lowly laid
I used all the Gasconnade
That I could get.
Being snubbed is somewhat smart,
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Lin McLean by Owen Wister: to her big, grave Virginian; to look at them, there was no doubt that he
had been "raised good enough" to appreciate her, no matter what had been
his raising!
Lin greeted every one jauntily. "How are yu', Miss Peck? How are yu',
Tommy?" said he. "Hear the news, Tommy? Crow Injuns on the war-path."
"I declare!" said the biscuit-shooter.
The Virginian was about to say something, but his eye met Lin's, and then
he looked at Tommy. Then what he did say was, "I hadn't been goin' to
mention it to the ladies until it was right sure."
"You needn't to be afraid, Miss Peck," said Tommy. "There's lots of men
here."
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Gobseck by Honore de Balzac: " 'Just then the great gates were opened to admit a cabriolet. It was
the same young fellow who had brought the bill to me.
" ' "Sir," I said, as he alighted, "here are two hundred francs, which
I beg you to return to Mme. la Comtesse, and have the goodness to tell
her that I hold the pledge which she deposited with me this morning at
her disposition for a week."
" 'He took the two hundred francs, and an ironical smile stole over
his face; it was as if he had said, "Aha! so she has paid it, has she?
. . . Faith, so much the better!" I read the Countess' future in his
face. That good-looking, fair-haired young gentleman is a heartless
gambler; he will ruin himself, ruin her, ruin her husband, ruin the
Gobseck |
