| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from In Darkest England and The Way Out by General William Booth: gaols as possible? The prisoners, when convicted, are sent long
distances by rail to the central prisons, and on coming out find
themselves cursed with the brand of the gaol bird, so far from home,
character gone, and with no one to fall back upon for counsel, or to
give them a helping hand. No wonder it is reported that vagrancy has
much increased in some large towns on account of discharged prisoners
taking to begging, having no other resource.
In the competition for work no employer is likely to take a man who is
fresh from gaol; nor are mistresses likely to engage a servant whose
last character was her discharge from one of Her Majesty's prisons.
It is incredible how much mischief is often done by well-meaning
In Darkest England and The Way Out |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Mother by Owen Wister: addressed) one of those Petunia circulars. Now here you can see at a
glance for yourself.' He began reading the prospectus rapidly aloud to me
while I followed its paragraphs with my own eye. His strong,
well-polished thumb-nail ran heavily but speedily down the columns of
figures and such words as gross receipts, increase of population, sinking
fund, redeemable at 105 after 1920, churned vigorously and meaninglessly
through my brain. But I was not going to let him know that to understand
the circular I should have to take it away quietly to my desk in Nassau
Street, and spend an hour with it alone."
"'What is your opinion of Petunia Water sixes?' he inquired."
"'They are a lead-pipe cinch,' I immediately answered; and he slapped me
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Cousin Betty by Honore de Balzac: in the convulsions of death. She extinguished the brazier; the door
was open, the air rushed in, and the exile was saved. Then, when
Lisbeth had put him to bed like a patient, and he was asleep, she
could detect the motives of his suicide in the destitution of the
rooms, where there was nothing whatever but a wretched table, the
camp-bed, and two chairs.
On the table lay a document, which she read:
"I am Count Wenceslas Steinbock, born at Prelia, in Livonia.
"No one is to be accused of my death; my reasons for killing
myself are, in the words of Kosciusko, /Finis Polonioe/!
"The grand-nephew of a valiant General under Charles XII. could
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