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WRITING A COMPOSITION " Children , to - morrow I shall expect all of you to write compositions , " said the teacher of Love Lane School . " Then , on Friday those who have done the best may stand up and read their compositions to the school . " Some of the children were pleased , and some were not . " What shall we write about ? " they asked . " You may choose any subject that you like best , " said the teacher . Some of them thought that " Home " was a good subject . Others liked " School . " One little boy chose " The Horse . " A little girl said she would write about " Summer . " The next day , every pupil except one had written a composition . " Henry Longfellow , " said the teacher , " why have you not written ? " " Because I don't know how , " answered Henry . He was only a child . " Well , " said the teacher , " you can write words , can you not ? " " Yes , sir , " said the boy . " After you have written three or four words , you can put them together , can you not ? " " Yes , sir ; I think so . " " Well , then , " said the teacher , " you may take your slate and go out behind the schoolhouse for half an hour . Think of something to write about , and write the word on your slate . Then try to tell what it is , what it is like , what it is good for , and what is done with it . That is the way to write a composition . " Henry took his slate and went out . Just behind the schoolhouse was Mr . Finney's barn . Quite close to the barn was a garden . And in the garden , Henry saw a turnip . " Well , I know what that is , " he said to himself ; and he wrote the word turnip on his slate . Then he tried to tell what it was like , what it was good for , and what was done with it . Before the half hour was ended he had written a very neat composition on his slate . He then went into the house , and waited while the teacher read it . The teacher was surprised and pleased . He said , " Henry Longfellow , you have done very well . Today you may stand up before the school and read what you have written about the turnip . " Many years after that , some funny little verses about Mr . Finney's turnip were printed in a newspaper . Some people said that they were what Henry Longfellow wrote on his slate that day at school . But this was not true . Henry's composition was not in verse . As soon as it was read to the school , he rubbed it off the slate , and it was forgotten . Perhaps you would like to read those funny verses . Here they are ; but you must never , never , NEVER think that Henry Longfellow wrote them . Mr . Finney had a turnip , And it grew , and it grew ; It grew behind the barn , And the turnip did no harm . And it grew , and it grew , Till it could grow no taller ; Then Mr . Finney took it up , And put it in the cellar . There it lay , there it lay , Till it began to rot ; Then Susie Finney washed it And put it in a pot . She boiled it , and boiled it , As long as she was able ; Then Mrs . Finney took it , And put it on the table .
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