| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Poor and Proud by Oliver Optic: soon joined her; and directing her to follow him, he led the way
into another street, and entered a shop.
"This young person wishes to raise some money on a watch," said
Simon, as he directed the attention of the astonished broker to
Katy, who was scarcely tall enough to be seen over the high
counter.
"Let me see it."
Katy handed up the watch, which the money lender opened and
carefully examined. His practised eye soon discovered that the
works of the watch were of the best quality.
"Where did you get this?" asked the broker.
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Whirligigs by O. Henry: "You were on the floor with her," said Octavia, unde-
flected, "five times at the Hammersmiths'."
"Hammersmiths' what? " questioned Teddy, vacuously.
"Ball -- ball," said Octavia, viciously. "What were
we talking of?"
"Eyes, I thought," said Teddy, after some reflection;
"and elbows."
"Those Hammersmiths," went on Octavia, in her
sweetest society prattle, after subduing an intense desire
to yank a handful of sunburnt, sandy hair from the head
lying back contentedly against the canvas of the steamer
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Soul of the Far East by Percival Lowell: play the part of uninvited spectre at the feast, whose presence no
one save its unfortunate victim suspects. The haunting horror of
his own identity is to natures far less eccentric than Kenelm
Chillingly's only too common a curse. To this companionship,
paradoxical though it sound, is principally due the peculiar
loneliness of childhood. For nothing is so isolating as a
persistent idea which one dares not confide.
And yet,--stranger paradox still,--was there ever any one
willing to exchange his personality for another's? Who can imagine
foregoing his own self? Nay, do we not cling even to its outward
appearance? Is there a man so poor in all that man holds dear that
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