The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge by Ambrose Bierce: the prismatic colors in all the dewdrops upon a million
blades of grass. The humming of the gnats that danced above
the eddies of the stream, the beating of the dragon flies'
wings, the strokes of the water spiders' legs, like oars
which had lifted their boat -- all these made audible
music. A fish slid along beneath his eyes and he heard the
rush of its body parting the water.
He had come to the surface facing down the stream; in a
moment the visible world seemed to wheel slowly round,
himself the pivotal point, and he saw the bridge, the fort,
the soldiers upon the bridge, the captain, the sergeant, the
An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Monster Men by Edgar Rice Burroughs: "Where is Miss Maxon?"
"Big blute, he catchem Linee. Tly kill Sing. Head hit tlee.
No see any more. Wakee up--all glone," moaned the Chinaman
as he tried to gain his feet.
"Which way did he take her?" urged von Horn.
Sing's quick eyes scanned the surrounding jungle,
and in a moment, staggering to his feet, he cried,
"Look see, klick! Foot plint!" and ran, weak and
reeling drunkenly, along the broad trail made by
the giant creature and its prey.
Von Horn and Professor Maxon followed closely in
The Monster Men |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Lesser Bourgeoisie by Honore de Balzac: ladies. As for the other, who seemed to be in the tow of her dressy
companion, she was short, squat, and high-colored, and wore a bonnet,
shawl, and gown which a practised eye would at once have recognized as
second hand. Mothers of actresses are always clothed by this very
economical process. Their garments, condemned to the service of two
generations, reverse the order of things, and go from descendants to
ancestors.
Advancing two chairs, la Peyrade inquired, "To whom have I the honor
of speaking?"
"Monsieur," said the younger visitor, "I am a dramatic artist, and as
I am about to make my first appearance in this quarter, I allow myself
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