| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Boys' Life of Abraham Lincoln by Helen Nicolay: eager for victory and as earnest of purpose as himself, but in
every case some misfortune or some fault marred the result, until
the country grew weary with waiting; discouragement overshadowed
hope, and misgiving almost engulfed his own strong soul. Then, at
last, the right men were found, the battles were all fought, and
the war was at an end.
His kindness and patience in dealing with the generals who did
not succeed is the wonder of all who study the history of the
Civil War. The letters he wrote to them show better than whole
volumes of description could do the helpful and forbearing spirit
in which he sought to aid them. First among these unsuccessful
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Herodias by Gustave Flaubert: precipice, which formed a defence for one side of the castle. A
honeysuckle vine, cramped by the low-studded ceiling, blossomed
bravely. The sound of a running stream could be heard distinctly. In
this place was a great number of beautiful white horses, perhaps a
hundred. They were eating barley from a plank placed on a level with
their mouths. Their manes had been coloured a deep blue; their hoofs
were wrapped in coverings of woven grass, and the hair between their
ears was puffed out like a peruke. As they stood quietly eating, they
switched their tails gently to and fro. The proconsul regarded them in
silent admiration.
They were indeed wonderful animals; supple as serpents, light as
Herodias |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Bucky O'Connor by William MacLeod Raine: innocence in the lad tied his tongue.
"Blame it all, I'm getting to be a regular old granny. What
Master Frank needs is a first-class dressing-down, and here the
little cuss has got me bluffed to a fare-you-well so that I'm mum
as a hooter on the nest," he admitted to himself ruefully. "Just
when something comes up that needs a good round damn I catch that
big brown Sunday school eye of his, and it's Bucky back to
Webster's unabridged. I've got to quit trailing with him, or I'll
be joining the church first thing I know. He makes me feel like I
want to be good, confound the little swindle."
Notwithstanding the ranger's occasional moments of exasperation,
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