The Forrest City times., 1894-04-06
THE DEWDROP.

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 | l lNoTB.- The following essay was composed and read at the closing exer- cises of the Hatcher Moseley school last Friday, by Miss Olive Gatling, age II years. The composition is wholly original and without help of older heads. This being true, we think it a most wonderful production, and ex- tend congratulations to the little lady for such early evidence of literary abil. ity, which, if pursued, will surely give her great rank in the future.-ED.] | was walking in my garden one bright Summer morning, and was looking at my fav0rite rosebush, which had appeared sickly the last two or three days on ac- count of the heat. 1t was looking fresher and brighter this morning. l noticed that 1t was covered with dew. And looking more closely at the full-blown rose before me 1 saw that in the center was a small dewdrop. and looking down at the little thing glistening and sparkling in the sun, wondered whence it came. Asking her the question, to my surprise she answered.:
 "SO you want to know my history, do youp It is rather long, but full of ad- ventures.
 "Of ny origin I know nothing except that the earth is my mother and the sun my father.
 My first recollection of my early life is dancing along in brook with my sis ters. We had no cares whatever, and knew not that there was such a thing as sorrow in this world. But one day--I re- member just how tha: day was-my sisters and were dancing merrly down beauti- fIl stream of water flowing beneath the trees. The long grasses and beautiful flowers nodded to us as we passed swiftly flying down the stream. But we needed not them or any other beautiful specimen of nature. Cur swift and happy course down the river was suddenly arrested by a messenger, 8 ray of the sun, who in a stern voice said: Your father, the Sun, needs your presence at Once.' With heavy hearts and dropping heads we slowly climbed up by the rays of the sun to the feecy clouds far, far away. where our father awaited us. Ushered into his reception room by his EObles, this com- mand awaited us; We need more dew for the earth. The rivers have sufficient wa ter, but the plants need more nourishment, ouQ UCS LII yOu tudt Ou ACudiu HCiC ioA 6 while, at least. You shall have nothing to do all day long but float in the clouds and amuse yourselves and at night to visit the earth and refresh the plants and per-
 haps an occasional shower
 Delighted beyond all measure at this
 unexpected proposal, we joyfully con scented and, being dismissed from his presence, we were soon enjoying ourselves | h,,v ,to, ,,i int oInnAa nuf on our rOse-tinted dress trimmed in geld
 and came out to the surface of the cloud to bid goodnight to the earth.
 "Usually, but not always. when our
 friend the moon comes out we put on our
 silyery gauge dresses and dance around
 her. But still we had our work to do
 that of visiting the earth and refreshing
 the plants. But one day 8 big black cloud, that had been roaring and tumbling
 through the sky for some time, suddenly
 swooped down upon us with frightful thunder and roaring, seized my sisters and ] 1, sent us whirling through the sky and almost before we knew it we were mixed , with the rain which in a few moments would fall to the earth. At last, after , much tossing and tumbiing of the cloud, i the rain began to fall and was pitched , headlong on an old tin roof, and such a noise as did make rolling down the roof
 When reached the edge l tumbled into the gutter and went splashng along with lot of my kinfolks all through the gutter and at last tumbled into an old, dark, dirty : cistern. Imagine my grief and despair at being thus pitched from tEe beautiful
 clouds above, where l was so happy, into l this dark cisternl But did not do as tue others-sink to the bottom and at oncc give up all hope. l still had hope, and that was . what saved me. staid right at the top. hoping in some way to be drawn ont; and 5 my hopes were not in vain. l had not , been there long before heard the bucket } coming, and when it touched tf.e water ? tumbed in and was drawn up to the top
 by the cook, who carried me in the Kitchen 8 and put me in the kettle to boil. 1t does r not hurt to be boiled, and l rather enjoyed ? it compared to that old cistern. was 1. soon so hot that began to boil and turned into steam and escaped through the mouth ? of the kettle. ran through the kitchen 2 window where met the sun and was sO0I i. sailing up to the clouds to join my friends, 'I continued my work as before and ]. yesterday as was sailing across the six, t l noticed that this bush seemed sickly, s' r my sisters and I came down last n'gh - to refresh 1t and we are now waiting fo [ the sun to send one of his rays to take u' e back to our happy home aboye."
 RNH of Honor.