| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Mad King by Edgar Rice Burroughs: for the American's immediate release. Where is it? Do not
tell me that Prince Peter did not receive it."
"He received it," replied the officer, "and I am here to
acquaint you with the fact, but Prince Peter said nothing
about your release. All he told me was that you were not to
be shot this morning," and the man emphasized the last two
words.
Leopold of Lutha spent two awful days a prisoner at
Blentz, not knowing at what moment Prince Peter might
see fit to carry out the verdict of the Austrian court martial.
He could convince no one that he was the king. Peter would
 The Mad King |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Story of an African Farm by Olive Schreiner: Then the large white snow-flakes as they flutter down, softly, one by one,
whisper soothingly, "Rest, poor heart, rest!" It is as though our mother
smoothed our hair, and we are comforted.
And yellow-legged bees as they hum make a dreamy lyric; and the light on
the brown stone wall is a great work of art; and the glitter through the
leaves makes the pulses beat.
Well to die then; for, if you live, so surely as the years come, so surely
as the spring succeeds the winter, so surely will passions arise. They
will creep back, one by one, into the bosom that has cast them forth, and
fasten there again, and peace will go. Desire, ambition, and the fierce
agonizing flood of love for the living they will spring again. Then Nature
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Flame and Shadow by Sara Teasdale: Cleaving the city, leaving far beneath it
Wharf-boats moored beside the old side-wheelers
Resting in twilight.
The Coin
Into my heart's treasury
I slipped a coin
That time cannot take
Nor a thief purloin, --
Oh better than the minting
Of a gold-crowned king
Is the safe-kept memory
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