| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Virginian by Owen Wister: close and raised his head to let it rest against her. Thus she
saw the blood that was running from in front of the shoulder
also; but she said no more about fainting. She tore strips from
her dress and soaked them, keeping them cold and wet upon both
openings of his wound, and she drew her pocket-knife out and cut
his shirt away from the place. As she continually rinsed and
cleaned it, she watched his eyelashes, long and soft and thick,
but they did not stir. Again she tried the flask, but failed from
being still too gentle, and her searching eyes fell upon ashes
near the pool. Still undispersed by the weather lay the small
charred ends of a fire he and she had made once here together, to
 The Virginian |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Virginian by Owen Wister: "Don't you comprehend," said the Virginian to Shorty, amiably,
"that this hyeh question has been discussed peaceable by
civilized citizens? Now you sit down and be good, and Mr. Le
Moyne will return your gun when we're across that broken bridge,
if they have got it fixed for heavy trains yet."
"This train will be lighter when it gets to that bridge," spoke
Trampas, out on his chair.
"Why, that's true, too!" said the Virginian. "Maybe none of us
are crossin' that Big Horn bridge now, except me. Funny if yu'
should end by persuadin' me to quit and go to Rawhide myself! But
I reckon I'll not. I reckon I'll worry along to Sunk Creek,
 The Virginian |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Varieties of Religious Experience by William James: residuum of conceptions that at least are possible. With these
she can deal as HYPOTHESES, testing them in all the manners,
whether negative or positive, by which hypotheses are ever
tested. She can reduce their number, as some are found more open
to objection. She can perhaps become the champion of one which
she picks out as being the most closely verified or verifiable.
She can refine upon the definition of this hypothesis,
distinguishing between what is innocent over-belief and symbolism
in the expression of it, and what is to be literally taken. As a
result, she can offer mediation between different believers, and
help to bring about consensus of opinion. She can do this the
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