The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1894-06-14
LIFE'S SEASONS.
A Composition Written by Misc Bet
tie Churchill, for Closing Exer-
cises OF Big Stone Gap High

School.
This ia perhaps rather arrange subject
Tor me to write upon, but in searching for
the smallest part Of my body, that being
my brain, could Aud morning upon which
! thought could write until, at last, the
thought struck ME, Why not divide life
into four periods like the year is divided;
80 decided that would he as good a sub
ject fer an essay or composition as Truth,
Home, Love, Study and all such subjects
that have 80 much written about them by
40 school boys and girls. who have no
idea Of their real and true meaning. !
think we may we'll let spring represent
the time in our minds when We are said
to he the hsppiost, and believe that is
between the ages Of enc and twentv-Src
years. You know spring is considered
by most every one to he the happisst and
most beautiful time Of tho solar year, so
why not let it he 30 in the life re are to
divide thus.
In the spring of life we all start out into
the world to make steps into the Great
Unknown, just as DO the early flowers in
the spring Of the solar year. After the
first six or seven years of our lives are
spent, then things begin to grow more
important and We are now to begin long,
tedious, but not with all pleasant school
life, just as in nature, the later it grows
and the older spring COTS, ii also grows
more important and serious; for then the
gardens are planted and put into
the ground to grow and improve, us are
we when we arc put in school. Later in
Life's Spring We advance in years and
begin to study harder and harder at
school and have more pride about having
good grades, and, all at once, as if wax
ing from dream, it draws upon US that
this cannot keep on forever; that we can
not always he kept at school by our good
parents, without single care or thought
to trouble us; with nothing bu: free and
easy life to lead, although We do have our
lessons to look after few hours in the
day. But what Of care is that compared
with what is to follow when we grow
older?
When you and read our final essays at
MI
commencement in our real lives, think for
d moment what strange feeling will
come over you when YOU find yourself
studying for your last examinations; think
how very lonely you will feel when your
teacher says to YOU: "Wcll, my dear girl,
your school life is over" / AM not too
fond Of going 10 school myself, hut when
come to think of it think now, hut not
then, that feel very much like shedding
few briny tears; but | do not know.
When that day comes may be glad to
have that said to me, for | may then be
tired of school.
Perhaps I have dealt TOO much with
school in this division OF Life, But school
takes up great part of Life's Spring.
just as TIC plant in the farmers garden
are growing, and will not mature for some
time yet, some of them rot till autum just
so it is with us We are yet young plants
and need plenty Of hoeins, or with US
plenty of schooling, before summer catch
es us with our blains all one weed patch.
Well, ,spring is over and SO are our
school days, and wa are once moro to
begin new season in life. If we were
lazy and INDECENT in school in the season
Just past, here 10 another chance for us to
be diligcnt in this glorious thought bard
cr and hotter season in life and solar year,
and that is summer We, like the plants,
are beginning to mature. We are now TO
fight down lifc's weeds for ourselves more
than VIC have been doing, and have our
parents and the farmers do less school
ing and hoeing; let them rest while we be-
gin to do something for them, to repay
them for all the tenderness and care they
bestowed on us in the spring whom NE
were vet Young and tender. At this time
of life We begin onr business. We descide
hercand now what VIC will make of our
selves. Men decide what profession they
Will take up, and women decide whether
tbcy will he butterflies or bees; or IN 9TH
o. words, they decide whether they will
I've useless, pro6'less burdens in the world
or whether they will be something OF
rb;ch the world and the sex may be proud
So YOU see, the first part ofLifos Summer
like that of the year, is deciding point
Once the decision made, the thing to DO is
to stick to it, not keep deciding on some
thing else, for those are the people who
constitute the "Rolling Stones OF the
world. So it is with some plants. You
20 ont one day and you think. surely that
plant is going to bloom and boa pleasure
20 YOU and your friends, but you 50 o"'
the next dav and see, to your disgust tha'
# i, not going to bloom, but simply gro"
Mr. dear school mates, do not let us ssmp'
L. grow, for we cannot help doing that No
- after how many times we change our
mind. or how very lazy'and disappointing
NC arc.
Now that summer is almost eNet WIN
the farmer, so it is with us. We have ae'
.;.,.d What SIC arc to DO and are soon tC
lcav. the prime of life and go over 10 'n'
..,.ax eide" In the garden the plant'
e,u CROWN and the farmer - certain