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ENGLISH: SUMMARY
FROM PROSE.
BIRKENHEAD DRILL.
Introduction
Birkenhead Drill is a story of extravagant
deed of heroism and shvarism shown by the soldiers of British 963Army.
The Birkenhead Drill was a troop ship, which come across with sudden
accident which has brought a dramatic change in the life of soldiers.
Birkenhead Drill means Women and Children First is
the order followed on all ships that are in danger. Birkenhead Drill
means today to stand be still facing certain death so that the weaker
ones may have a chance of life.
“Some people born great
Some people have greatness
Some people achieve greatness
We should make our lifes sublime”
Summary
Birkenhead Drill was a military ship. In February 1851, it was going
to South Africa with troops and their families. There were a total
of six hundred and thirty people on board out of which one hundred
and seventy were women and children. The rest were inexperienced
military men and officers. At 2 a.m. on 25th February, when this
ship was near Cape Town, it strokes a massive rock that was not
shown on any of the maps. This sudden jerk broke the ship into two
pieces. The front half soon sank but the hind half stayed afloat.
Most of the people manage to reach the rear part. There were only
3 lifeboats left undamaged with a capacity of 60 persons per boat.
Only 180 people could be saved in this way. The others would draw
because the damaged military ship could not float much longer. This
situation should have caused a panic on the ship. Unlike other happenings,
there was no panic or confusion in the boat. The trained soldiers
managed complete discipline and were successful in transferring
some women and children into the lifeboats. The captain and soldiers
stood line by line as if they were on their daily drill. Every one
was loyal to his duty and himself. A commander set an example by
giving his life for two young soldiers. When the commander was hanging
on to some piece of wood, he saw two young soldiers struggling in
the water. He allowed them to hold on wreckage. But the commander
realized that the wreckage could not bear the weight of the three
persons so he let go his hold and went into the water for ever.
Due to complete management of discipline, 194 people were saved
but 436 men drowned forever in the deep waters. Moral The undiminished
order of the soldiers presented in the article reflects the quality
of sacrifice and devotion in mankind. We should stand till facing
certain fate so that the weak ones may have a chance to live. This
has been known as Birkenhead Drill since then.
“DUTY, THAT WHICH STERNLY IMPELS US IN THE DIRECTION
OF PROFIT, ALONG THE LINE OF DESIRE.”
MY
BANK ACCOUNT.
Introduction
My Bank Account is written by Stephen Leacock. He is one of the
most popular mockers and article writer. His witty articles are
the best example of sardonic Mockery. The most of his stories like
Brown Eyes, Freedom Cost, Behind the Table are written in first
person style.
“CONFIDENCE WITH FEAR LEAD TO MOCKERY.”________________________
Stephen
Summary
Our author had a particular kind of fear about banks. Every time
he entered a bank, to do business, he felt awfully frightened. The
author was afraid of banks but he had to go to a bank, as he received
a raise in his salary. As he entered the bank his fear overlook
him. In this panic, the author made number of stupid mistakes. He
entered the bank and demanded to see the manager alone. The author
was taken to a private room. The manager was convinced that the
author was millionaire who wished to deposit millions of dollars.
But the manager was very upset, when he learn that the author wanted
to deposit, fifty six dollars and that he would deposit fifty dollars
every month. Quite obviously the manager was irritated and directed
him to the accountant, so that his account could be opened, which
was duly done. After having deposited fifty-six dollars. The author
wanted to withdraw six dollars for his current use. In his nervousness,
the author made a blunder. Instead of writing a cheque for six dollars
he had written fifty-six dollars. The accountant looked at him in
astonishment and asked if he wanted to withdraw all his money. The
author realized his mistake, but wanted to cover up his stupidness.
So he replied he wanted to draw all his money. Author was feeling
miserable and he want to rush out of the bank sooner than he received
his money, he rushed out of the bank as he did so, a loud burst
of laughter went up, to the roof of the bank.
THE
HOSTILE WITNESS.
Introduction
The Hostile Witness is a detective story by D.Y. Morgan. In this
story he depicts the character of a person who was not satisfied
with the performance of the state Police, but he changed his views
when witnesses the performance of the police in arresting a dangerous
murderer at large.
Summary
Norman Charlton is a robber and a murderer. He lives as a servant
in White Hart Hotel. This hotel is in Kirby, a small Yorkshire town
about 32 kilometers south of Darlington. He robbed the weekly wages
of two people at New Castle, who were going to their factory carrying
thousands of pounds. While committing the robbery, he faces protest
from the two persons. In reply he shoots them. One of them, named
John Edward Robson, gets killed while the other becomes seriously
wounded. Charlton escapes in a stolen sports car from the place
of robbery. After reaching a safe place, he leaves the car and asks
for a lift at about a hundred yards from that point. Fortunately,
he gets a lift from Mr. Earnest King who was on his way to White
Hart Hotel. When they reach the hotel, Charlton transfers the stolen
bag from Mr. King’s car into the hotel and places it behind
the reception desk. He also puts King’s luggage in a room
and gets dressed in his white jacket. He leaves the weapon of murder
under the mattress. Mr. King sits in the lounge and orders for cold
drink. While enjoying cold drink, Mr. Abott and two other guests,
Mr. Cartor and Johnson enter the room. They exchange greetings and
then Mr. King gets informed about the robbery and the murder. Mr.
Cartor also tells about the checking of his car by the police. While
they were talking about the robbery, three persons, Detective-Sergeant
Manning and Police Constable Stevens and Edwards, enter the hotel.
They told the people about the security and said that their duty
was to check all the hotels in the North of England. Detective-Sergeant
Manning asks for the keys of the rooms so that he could check the
luggage of the guests. Everyone gives them the keys except Mr. King,
who thinks that this action was unrespectable. But after some discussion
he also gives the keys. the detective then go up to check the rooms.
When they return, one of them holds a pistol in his hand, which
had been fired recently. He tells that this pistol was laid under
the mattress in Mr. King’s room. He suspects Mr. King for
the murder. Charlton takes advantages of this situation and gives
the description of the murderer – medium height and build,
fresh complexion, dark hair, moustache, horn-rimmed glasses, Grey
suit and Grey hat. This description exactly suited the dressing
of Mr. King, which made him more mistrustful and every body stares
at him. Charlton also gives the bag of money having massive locks
from behind the reception desk and says that this bag was carried
by Mr. King. Suddenly, Manning turns at Charlton and orders the
constable to arrest him. He suspected him of the spirit gum and
fake moustaches that were left on his upper lip. The lift which
he had taken from Mr. King made him more suspicious. He also asks
him of horn-rimmed glasses and receives the answer in positive.
Manning then arrests him and tells the people how Charlton had committed
the crime. He hid the pistol under the mattress in Mr. King’s
room while he as keeping the luggage and threw away his fake moustache
soon after killing the person. He had then taken lift from Mr. King
at a bus stop near Great North Road and gotten away safely from
the police. This entire work carried out by the police really impressed
Mr. King and the killer was caught.
THE
WOLVES OF CERNOGRATZ.
Introduction
This is an interesting story about supernatural forces and strange
happenings written by Saki H.H. Munro. The author is well known
for his tales of mystery and magical powers. The story is about
an old castle and its owners, the Cernogratz family who had to sell
off their family castle, when their fortune turned against them.
Thus, they abondoned their ancestral family castle. As time went
by, the castle was purchased by Gruebel family.
Summary
One of the last days of December, the Baroness, the new owner of
the Cernogratz Castle, was engaged in a friendly conversation with
her guests. She was telling them about a strange legend attached
to the castle. She said that whenever someone died in the castle,
all the wild beasts and wolves would appear from nowhere and start
howling all night long. But she quickly brushed this legend aside
by saying that, it is only a gimmick to enhance the value of castle.
She also said that she did not believe in the legend as she had
proof that nothing of the sort ever happened. When her old mother-in-law
died in the castle, nothing of the sort happened and no wolves appeared.
According to her it was utter rubbish and that there was no truth
in the legend. That the people had merely invented a story so as
to give cheap publicity to the place. On hearing this account, Amalie
von Cernogratz, an old governess employed in the house, remarked:
“THE STORY IS NOT AS YOU HAVE TOLD IT. IT IS NOT
WHEN ANY ONE DIES IN THE CASTLE, THAT THE HOWLING IS HEARD. IT IS
ONLY HEARD, WHEN A MEMBER OF THE CERNOGRATZ FAMILY, DIES IN HIS
FAMILY CASTLE THAT THE WOLVES APPEAR IN THEIR THOUSANDS AND START
HOWLING.”
The Governess strongly protested and insisted that
the legend was quite true. She knew the family legend very well,
as she was the last of the great Cernogratz family. The old Governess
repeated the actual legend in a note of defiance, almost in contempt.
She made it quite clear that no howling was heard if a stranger
died in the castle. But if a cernogratz died in his family castle,
not only did the wolves would howl in chorus, but also a large tree
would crash in the park as the soul of the dying one left its body.
Naturally the company showed its disbelief. They thought that the
old lady is pretending to be an important person. She knows that
she will be soon past work and she wants to appeal to our sympathies.
That the old Amalie is making a false claim to be a Cernogratz.
When the old Governess left the room, the Baroness and her guests
were convinces that, she is an ordinary woman and had some how learnt
the Cernogratz legend from the peasants living in the vicinity.
Later on, some mysterious happenings proved every word of the old
governess. It so happened that the old governess fell ill and confined
herself to her small, cheerless room. Just then the company heard
the howling of wolves. Moved by some impulse, the Baroness went
to the Governess’s room. To her horror, she found, all the
windows open, despite the biting cold, while the old lady was lying
on the couch terribly sick. The Baroness rushed forward to shut
the windows. But the Governess forbade her in a very stern manner.
She asked the Baroness to leave and let the windows be open, as
she wanted to hear the “Death Music” of her family.
The Baroness announced to her guests that the old governess was
dying. While the guests were talking, they heard a loud noise of
a tree splitting and then crashing down, with a loud thud. At that
moment, the governess breathed her last. The news of Amalie-von-Cernogratz’s
death and her affiliation to the Cernogratz family was confirmed
in the newspaper, the following day. Amalie, the valued fried of
the Baron and Baroness Gruebel had passed away in her old family
castle. |
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