| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Padre Ignacio by Owen Wister: creatures of the soil. Their vineyard and cattle days are apt to be like
the sun and storm around them--strong alike in their evil and in their
good. All their years they live as children--children with men's passions
given to them like deadly weapons, unable to measure the harm their
impulses may bring. Hence, even in their crimes, their hearts will
generally open soon to the one great key of love, while civilization
makes locks which that key cannot always fit at the first turn. And
coming to know this," said Padre Ignacio, fixing his eyes steadily upon
Gaston, "you will understand how great a privilege it is to help such
people, and how the sense of something accomplished--under God--should
bring Contentment with Renunciation."
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Babbitt by Sinclair Lewis: Protective Order of Elks, and it was rumored that at the next election he
would be a candidate for Exalted Ruler. He was a jolly man, given to oratory
and to chumminess with the arts. He called on the famous actors and
vaudeville artists when they came to town, gave them cigars, addressed them by
their first names, and--sometimes--succeeded in bringing them to the Boosters'
lunches to give The Boys a Free Entertainment. He was a large man with hair
en brosse, and he knew the latest jokes, but he played poker close to the
chest. It was at his party that Babbitt had sucked in the virus of to-day's
restlessness.
Gunch shouted, "How's the old Bolsheviki? How do you feel, the morning after
the night before?"
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Rezanov by Gertrude Atherton: mutual--between neighbors as close as the Spanish
and Russians in America. This would interest
them--what would not, on the edge of the world?
--and they would agree to lay the matter, rein-
forced by a strong personal plea, before the Viceroy
of Mexico; who in turn would send it to the Cab-
inet and King at Madrid. Meanwhile, he was to
confide in the priests at the Mission. Not only
would their sympathies be enlisted, but they did
much trading under the very nose of the govern-
ment. Not for personal gain--they were vowed to
Rezanov |
