| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Records of a Family of Engineers by Robert Louis Stevenson: [Friday, 21st Aug.]
Everything connected with the forge being now completed,
the artificers found no want of sharp tools, and the work went
forward with great alacrity and spirit. It was also alleged
that the rock had a more habitable appearance from the volumes
of smoke which ascended from the smith's shop and the busy
noise of his anvil, the operations of the masons, the
movements of the boats, and shipping at a distance - all
contributed to give life and activity to the scene. This
noise and traffic had, however, the effect of almost
completely banishing the herd of seals which had hitherto
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Wrecker by Stevenson & Osbourne: called me a fifth-rate Kerbstone broker with water on the brain;
another said I was a tree-frog that had got into the same
meadow with Longhurst, and had blown myself out till I went
pop. It was rough on a man in his honeymoon; so was what
they said about my looks, and what I had on, and the way I
perspired. But I braced myself up with the Flying Scud. How
did it exactly figure out anyway? I don't seem to catch on to
that story, Loudon."
"The devil you don't!" thinks I to myself; and then aloud: "You
see we had neither one of us good luck. I didn't do much more
than cover current expenses; and you got floored immediately.
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from St. Ives by Robert Louis Stevenson: a sort of sober doggedness of manner, my enemy was changed almost
beyond recognition: changed in everything but a certain dry,
polemical, pedantic air, that spoke of a sedentary occupation and
high stools. I observed, too, that his valise was heavy; and,
putting this and that together, hit upon a plan.
'A seasonable night, sir,' said I. 'What do you say to a bit of
running? The frost has me by the toes.'
'With all the pleasure in life,' says he.
His voice seemed well assured, which pleased me little. However,
there was nothing else to try, except violence, for which it would
always be too soon. I took to my heels accordingly, he after me;
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