| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Fables by Robert Louis Stevenson: think there's nothing but the present story-paper?"
"I don't rightly know for that," said Silver; "and I don't see what
it's got to do with it, anyway. What I know is this: if there is
sich a thing as a Author, I'm his favourite chara'ter. He does me
fathoms better'n he does you - fathoms, he does. And he likes
doing me. He keeps me on deck mostly all the time, crutch and all;
and he leaves you measling in the hold, where nobody can't see you,
nor wants to, and you may lay to that! If there is a Author, by
thunder, but he's on my side, and you may lay to it!"
"I see he's giving you a long rope," said the Captain. "But that
can't change a man's convictions. I know the Author respects me; I
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Montezuma's Daughter by H. Rider Haggard: 'Guatemoc, in the name of god and with the voice of the people of
Anahuac, we summon you to the throne of Anahuac. Long may you live
and justly may you rule, and may the glory be yours of beating back
into the sea those foes who would destroy us. Hail to you,
Guatemoc, Emperor of the Aztecs and of their vassal tribes.' And
all the three hundred of the council of confirmation repeated in a
voice of thunder, 'Hail to you, Guatemoc, Emperor!'
Now the prince himself stood forward and spoke:
'You lords of election, and you, princes, generals, nobles and
captains of the council of confirmation, hear me. May the gods be
my witness that when I entered this place I had no thought or
Montezuma's Daughter |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Boys' Life of Abraham Lincoln by Helen Nicolay: stepped forward and began a simple address that quickly charmed
the roomful of youngsters into silence. His language was
singularly beautiful, his voice musical with deep feeling. The
faces of his little listeners drooped into sad earnestness at his
words of warning, and brightened again when he spoke of cheerful
promises. "Go on! Oh, do go on!" they begged when at last he
tried to stop. As he left the room somebody asked his name.
"Abraham Lincoln, from Illinois," was the courteous reply.
VI. THE NEW PRESIDENT
Lincoln's great skill and wisdom in his debate with Douglas
turned the eyes of the whole country upon him; and the force and
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