| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Life on the Mississippi by Mark Twain: Some were handsome creatures, some were not; some were sleek,
some hadn't had their fur brushed lately; some were innocently
gay and frisky; some were full of malice and all unrighteousness;
guessing from looks, some of them thought the matter on hand was war,
some thought it was a lark, the rest took it for a religious occasion.
And each mule acted according to his convictions. The result was an
absence of harmony well compensated by a conspicuous presence of variety--
variety of a picturesque and entertaining sort.
All the riders were young gentlemen in fashionable society.
If the reader has been wondering why it is that the ladies of New Orleans
attend so humble an orgy as a mule-race, the thing is explained now.
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Letters of Two Brides by Honore de Balzac: manners seems to disconcert the dear Duke, who doesn't like him, and
is never at ease with him; he can't bear to come in contact with
superiority of any kind.
As soon as my father knows enough Spanish, we start for Madrid. When
Henarez returned, two days after the reproof he had given me, I
remarked by way of showing my gratitude:
"I have no doubt that you left Spain in consequence of political
events. If my father is sent there, as seems to be expected, we shall
be in a position to help you, and might be able to obtain your pardon,
in case you are under sentence."
"It is impossible for any one to help me," he replied.
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Domestic Peace by Honore de Balzac: startled by seeing her husband sitting by the fire.
"How long is it, my dear, since you have gone to balls without telling
me beforehand?" he asked in a broken voice. "You must know that a
woman is always out of place without her husband. You compromised
yourself strangely by remaining in the dark corner where you had
ensconced yourself."
"Oh, my dear, good Leon," said she in a coaxing tone, "I could not
resist the happiness of seeing you without your seeing me. My aunt
took me to this ball, and I was very happy there!"
This speech disarmed the Count's looks of their assumed severity, for
he had been blaming himself while dreading his wife's return, no doubt
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