SELECTIONS FOR PRACTICE IN

PRÉCIS WRITING

I

NARRATIVE PASSAGES

THE short anecdotes of Part I are adapted to elementary work in précis writing. They may also be used as practice material in making oral abstracts. (See Introduction, page 23.)

Similar anecdotes may be found in magazines such as The Youth's Companion, The American Boy, and The Open Road. Certain types of news items, especially the so-called "human interest stories," make excellent narrative material for précis work with boys and girls. (See No. 4, page 36.)

1

THERE was a salt marsh that bounded part of the mill-pond, on the edge of which, at high water, we used to stand to fish for minnows. By much trampling, we had made it a mere quagmire. My proposal was to build a wharf there fit for us to stand upon, and I showed my comrades a large heap of stones, which were intended for a new house near the marsh, and which would very well suit our purpose. Accordingly, in the evening, when the workmen were gone, I assembled a number of my playfellows, and working with them diligently like so many emmets, sometimes two or three to a stone, we brought them all away and built our little wharf. The next morning the workmen were surprised at missing the stones, which were found in our wharf. Inquiry was made after the removers; we were discovered and complained of; several of us were corrected by our fathers; and, though I pleaded the usefulness of the work, mine convinced me that nothing was useful which was not honest. (177 words) -BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, Autobiography

34

summaries of Franklin's anecThey were written in eight What details of the original

Examine carefully these three dote of his boyhood (No. 1). minutes by high-school pupils. do they all omit? Why do you think they all include the thought of the last two lines? Is this necessary? Which of the three makes the most satisfactory précis? Give reasons for your decision.

Précis 1 Once, with the aid of my playmates, I made a wharf at the edge of a marsh by the mill-pond. To build this we secretly obtained some large stones from a house which was being constructed near by. But we were discovered, and though I pleaded the usefulness of our work, my father convinced me that nothing was useful which was not honest. (62 words)

Précis 2 With my playmates I once constructed a wharf on the edge of the mill-pond, carrying stones at night from a house which was going up near by. When we were caught, my father showed me the folly of being dishonest for any reason whatever.

(43 words)

Précis 3 As a small boy I learned that nothing was ever useful which was dishonest. My father taught me this important lesson when he was told that I had been stealing stones from a new house to build a wharf by the shore of the mill-pond. (44 words)

2

I heard a true story, not long ago, of a lady, fond of dogs and accustomed to them, who went to visit a friend, the owner of a splendid but most formidable animal a mastiff, if I remember rightly. The visitor did not happen to meet with the dog till she suddenly came upon him in a doorway she was about to pass through. It chanced somehow that she did not see him, and, stepping hastily, she unfortunately trod upon his foot or his tail. The huge fellow instantly laid hold of her; but before the dog's master, a short distance off, could hasten to the rescue, the lady had looked down, exclaiming quick as thought, "Oh, I beg your pardon!" whereupon the mastiff as quickly let go his grasp. It is plain that this lady had a proper respect for the feelings of dogs in general, prompting to an habitual kindly treatment of them, and instinct led her to apologize at once for the inadvertent injury, as she would have done to a person. Atlantic Monthly: "Dogs"

3

THE good ship had crashed at sunset against a sunken rock; the boats were too few, the sea was rushing in; sharks were thrusting their horrible black fins through the white breakers of the boiling surf; and amid the shrieks of women and children someone clamored that all should save themselves who could. Then, clear and loud, rang out the voice of the good colonel, bidding the men to their ranks. That order meant nothing less than death death in those raging waters - death among those savage sharks - but it was instantly obeyed. In perfect order the boats were pushed from the shattered vessel, rowing the women and children to the shore, while, inch by inch, the ship sank down and down, but still under steadfast men, till the last great wave rolled over her, and, "obedient even unto death," brave men — loyal to their chief, loyal to England, loyal to God sank to their noble burial under the bloody

surf.

- FREDERICK W. FARRAR, The Wreck of the Birkenhead

[Special Dispatch to The Herald]

HINSDALE, July 5-There was great excitement in the village to-night when word was passed that Constable Fassel's cow was walking on the railroad track in the direction of Pittsfield and that train No. 40 was due.

Business for the time was forgotten. Store clerks and nearly every one on the streets at the time rushed to the crossing, where Bess could be seen at a distance walking slowly up the track.

John Clarky, towerman, was summoned with his flag to signal the train. Clarky weighs 200 pounds. He ran along the track and reached the cow just as the express could be heard rounding the

curve.

In desperation, Clarky waved the flag at the cow, but she failed to budge. The train came closer.

Suddenly Clarky dropped the flag, seized the cow by the tail, and with all the force of his 200 pounds, gave a mighty heave, and old Bess and Clarky landed in a pile in the gully as the train whizzed by. When the crowd arrived, old Bess was sitting on Clarky's chest. The villagers unscrambled the mess and nobody was hurt.

- The Boston Herald

5

AMONG a party of Bostonians who spent some time in a huntingcamp in Maine were two college professors. No sooner had the learned gentlemen arrived than their attention was attracted by the unusual position of the stove, which was set on posts about four feet high.

This circumstance afforded one of the professors immediate opportunity to comment upon the knowledge that woodsmen gain by observation.

"Now," said he, "this man has discovered that heat emanating from a stove strikes the roof, and that the circulation is so quickened that the camp is warmed in much less time than would be required were the stove in its regular place on the floor."

But the other professor ventured the opinion that the stove was elevated to be above the window in order that cool and pure air might be had at night.

The host, being of a practical turn, thought that the stove was set high in order that a good supply of green wood might be placed under it.

After much argument, they called the guide and asked why the stove was in such a position.

The man grinned. "Well, gents," he explained, "when I brought the stove up the river I lost most of the stovepipe overboard; so we had to set the stove up that way so as to have the pipe reach through the roof."

-

- EDMUND AND WILLIAMS, Toaster's Handbook

6

OWING to his unusual bringing-up, Bruno had never become acquainted with the ordinary animals of the woods and fields, and so I was curious to see what he would do when he met any of them. Down in the garden one day I found a large fat toad, and when the bear was at lunch I placed the warty creature on the ground beside the saucer from which the cub was taking his food. Being quite hungry, at first he paid no attention to the intruder; but presently, as the saucer became empty, he caught sight of his curious visitor. With a jerk he raised his head, and for a moment, without moving a muscle, gazed in astonishment and with some misgiving at the strange monstrosity in front of him. His natural curiosity, however, soon overcame his doubtful frame of mind; he was a born

investigator and this thing must be looked into. Very cautiously he reached forward his paw and ever so gently he touched the curious thing on the back.

The toad did as toads usually do when tickled from behind. It hopped, and with such force that it went quite over the saucer. Simultaneously the bear stood erect. He had a puzzled look of amazement and dismay on his hairy visage; he appeared to be utterly overcome with astonishment. It didn't seem reasonable that an insignificant misshapen creature like that could, with no apparent effort, cover so much ground in one leap. Bruno's paws hung inertly in front of him and his tongue lolled stupidly from his mouth. His breath came in short explosive gasps.

Suddenly the toad hopped again, and with a Whoof, whoof, whoof, away ran the bear round the corner and out of sight. No more toads for him; one was enough for a lifetime!

WILLIAM L. UNDERWOOD, Wild Brother

7

ONE day Lincoln and a certain judge who was an intimate friend of his were bantering each other about horses, a favorite topic. Finally Lincoln said:

"Well, look here, Judge! I'll tell you what I'll do. I'll make a horse-trade with you, only it must be upon these stipulations: Neither party shall see the other's horse until it is produced here in the courtyard of the hotel and both parties must trade horses. If either party backs out of the agreement, he does so under a forfeiture of twenty-five dollars."

Agreed," cried the judge, and both he and Lincoln went in quest of their respective animals.

A crowd gathered, anticipating some fun, and when the judge returned first, the laugh was uproarious. He led, or rather dragged, at the end of a halter the meanest, boniest, rib-staring quadruped blind in both eyes — that ever pressed turf. But presently Lincoln came along carrying over his shoulder a carpenter's sawhorse. Then the mirth of the crowd was furious. Lincoln solemnly set his horse down, and silently surveyed the judge's animal with a comical look of infinite disgust.

"Well, Judge," he finally said, "this is the first time I ever got the worst of it in a horse-trade."

- ANTHONY GROSS, Lincoln's Own Stories