| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Lady Susan by Jane Austen: shall be very eager to secure an interest I shall soon have need for all my
fortitude, as I am on the point of separation from my own daughter. The
long illness of her dear father prevented my paying her that attention
which duty and affection equally dictated, and I have too much reason to
fear that the governess to whose care I consigned her was unequal to the
charge. I have therefore resolved on placing her at one of the best
private schools in town, where I shall have an opportunity of leaving her
myself in my way to you. I am determined, you see, not to be denied
admittance at Churchhill. It would indeed give me most painful sensations
to know that it were not in your power to receive me.
Your most obliged and affectionate sister,
Lady Susan |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Tattine by Ruth Ogden [Mrs. Charles W. Ide]: back. "Come help me bury him," and so Joey trotted behind her to the spot
already selected. "We must make this hole good and deep," she explained (Joey
stood looking on in wide-eyed wonder), "for if Doctor and Betsy would kill a
little live rabbit, there is no telling but they would dig up a dead one." So
the hole was made at least four inches deep, Bunny was buried in it, and the
earth, with Joey's assistance, stamped down hard, but afterwards it was
loosened somewhat to plant a little wild-wood plant atop of the tiny grave.
"Now, Joey, you wait here till I go bring something for a tombstone," Tattine
directed, and in a second she was back again with the cover of a box in one
hand and a red crayon in the other. Sitting flat upon the grass, she printed
on the cover in rather irregular letters:--
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Beast in the Jungle by Henry James: had been after luncheon much dispersal, all in the interest of the
original motive, a view of Weatherend itself and the fine things,
intrinsic features, pictures, heirlooms, treasures of all the arts,
that made the place almost famous; and the great rooms were so
numerous that guests could wander at their will, hang back from the
principal group and in cases where they took such matters with the
last seriousness give themselves up to mysterious appreciations and
measurements. There were persons to be observed, singly or in
couples, bending toward objects in out-of-the-way corners with
their hands on their knees and their heads nodding quite as with
the emphasis of an excited sense of smell. When they were two they
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