5篇初中英语作文（最新20篇）

I like drawing. It does bring me happiness. As a kid I was keen on those

lines and curves drawn on paper made into animals and scenes.

It really could show beauty to people and express my feelings. And then I

took a course so that I could get close to it and see it well.

But at that time I just did it for fun. Years went by I got into a long

period of time filled with pressure in study. And I found it so good a way to

relax.

It did not any longer play an unimportant role in my living but bacame my

friend. Since that time I have felt it like a nice person deep in my heart who

can talk with me with true words and make me happy with life.

This is my hobby not just a hobby but also a true friend.

We all wish (hope) to be happy, so we should take good care of our health.

Health is the best treasure (which) a man can possess. Money can do many things, but it cannot buy happiness. However, so long as man has good health, he can enjoy the pleasures of human life.

In order to insure good health we must pay attention to three things. They are-nourishing food, fresh air and proper exercise.

我们大家都希望快乐，所以我们应该好好保重健康。一个病人因为失去健康而很少快乐。

健康是一个人所能拥有最好的财富。钱能做许多事情，但是它却不能购买。然而，只要一个人有良好的健康，他就能享受人生的乐趣。

为了保证良好的健康，我们必须注意三件事情。它们是营养食物，新鲜空气和正当运动。

[初中生英语日记良好的健康

Chinese New Year starts with the new moon on the first day of the new year

and ends on the the full days later. In china,people regard Spring Festival as

the most important thing.People studied and worked throughout the year.No matter

how far and how busy, they must do their best to go back home.Thats a tradition

and now becoming a habit. During this time,transport is extremely busy.Although

the way is difficult,it cant reduce the urgent feeling of going home.I cant

describe this feeling,only the people that experienced it can

understand.Actually,on one hand,people miss their family,and they need to get

comfort in the family.On the other hand,getting together is a symbol of

blessedness and auspiciousness.People in other country dont have this

consciousness that going home is necessary.For example,American could celebrate

the Christmas in everywhere they like or with anybody.This diversity is

occasioned by different culture between two countries.

On Spring festivals eve,the whole family prepare the dinner.Of

course,dumplings is essential.In the

evening,family members always sit at the television and watch Spring

Festival Gala.At 0:00,people set off firecrackers and fireworks,at the same

time,children pay New Year,s call to old people.The old people give money to the

children as a lunar new year gift.Usually,people stay up late or all night.

On lunar New Years Day, the Chinese family eat vegetarian dumplings which

imply they will plain and neat in this year. People change their new

clothes,this stands for a new beginning.Next,people visit relatives with some

gifts.The second day is son-in-laws festival,the husband and married women

visit their side of the family.In a word,Chinese attach great importance to

Spring Festival.

犯了错误不要紧，最重要是勇于承认错误和改正，下面是小编为您带来的是初中英语错误作文范例相关内容，希望对您有所帮助。

When I was 8, I lied to my parents in order to get my favorite toy, and then got hit by it. The mistake made me wiser.

When I was 10, my friends made an appointment with me in the morning, but I forgot the appointment and kept them waiting for a long time. Then I was criticized for a meal. The mistake made me know how to get along with others need good faith.

At the age of 12, it was our turn to be on duty, but I ran away to play basketball and was later fined. The mistake made me understand that everyone in our class is responsible.

Now, more mistakes come from exams, though they are careless little mistakes, but they make me grow knowledge and try to overcome careless mistakes.

However, mistakes have always been regarded as eyesore, and people are often very afraid of it, even call it "the devil"". Mistakes are people hate, maybe the error will lead to naught, perhaps mistakes will make people regret, perhaps the wrong people will eat get disheartened. However, it is because of the mistake, let a person assiduously, firm and indomitable, strong, and success. The world is like this, many things are often antagonistic, but they are also unified, as if there is no mistake, where success is like this. "Failure is the mother of success", this platitude and the ancient and modern, is just to confirm this point.

Edison, the inventor of the invention, did not know how many mistakes he had made. After many detours, he invented the electric lamp. Nobel didnt know how many experiments he had made and how many mistakes he made, and finally developed explosives...... Every earth shattering invention fills many errors into the ground and finally reaches the top.

Mistakes are not a "devil", it is sometimes more "angel", it is not a stumbling block to success, but the key to success, for the wrong, we should not be bored, but to appreciate the essence of mining.

Lets take good care of our mistakes!

8岁时，为了得到心爱的玩具，我竟向父母撒了谎，后来被挨了一顿揍。这次犯错误，使我更加懂事。

10岁时，朋友们约我早上去玩，我却忘记了约定，让他们等了许久，后来被指责了一餐。这次犯错误，使我懂得与人相处需要诚信。

12岁时，轮到我们值日，我却为了打篮球而逃跑，后来被罚扫。这次犯错误，使我明白班中事务我们每一个人都有责任。

现在，更多的错误来自于考试，尽管多是马虎的小错误，但是，却使我长了知识，努力克服粗心的毛病。

但是，错误却一直以来被人视为眼中钉，人们往往会非常惧怕它，甚至还称之为“魔鬼”。错误都是人们所厌恶的，也许是错误会导致前功尽弃，也许是错误会让人留下遗憾，也许错误会吃人灰心丧气。可是，正是因为错误，让人刻苦钻研，坚忍不拔，勇猛精进，以至走向成功。世界正是这样，许多东西往往是对立的，但是，它们也是统一的，就如没有错误，哪来成功这般。“失败乃成功之母”这句老生常谈的话以及古今中外的就刚好印证这一点。

“发明大王”爱迪生不知犯了多少错误，走了不少弯路，才发明了电灯；诺贝尔又不知经过了多少实验，犯了多少错误，最终才研制了炸药……每一项惊天动地的发明，正是填了许许多多的错误作地基，最终才到达了顶端。

错误并不是“魔鬼”，它有时更是“天使”，它不是通向成功的绊脚石，而是开启成功的钥匙，对于错误，我们不应厌烦，而是欣赏式地挖掘其中的精华。

让我们善待错误！

[初中英语错误作文范例

When I come to the middle school, I feel so excited, because I want to

learn more knowledge and prepare for my future. Some of my friends are afraid of

the coming challenges, they think they can’t handle, but for me, life will be

wonderful with all kinds of challenges. It is the challenges that makes me

stronger. If everything comes to me without hard working, then I won’t cherish

it. I am so eager to meet the coming difficulties, I won’t give up no matter how

hard they will be. Some day when I look back on these days, I will not be

regretful of what I have done.

初中二年级英语作文：我最喜欢的节日（春节）

My Favourite Festival

There are many traditional festivals in China. My favourite festival is the Spring Festival. It is a very important festival for Chinese. Before the festival, people will go to visit their relatives and friends. They usually have a big dinner together and give best wishes to each other. Most children in China love this festival because they can play fireworks and lucky money from their parents and relatives.

I am one year older than my cousin. Both of us are the only child in the family, so my cousin and I are very closed, we are just like the sisters. I like to share my secret with my cousin, because I don’t want to tell my parents.

My cousin is a good listener, when I feel not happy, I will tell her about my annoyance, then she will comfort me and make me feel better. When Friday comes, I will ask my cousin to sleep with me, we will talk about a lot of things.

I am so lucky that I have a cousin as my good friends.

我比我的表妹长大了一岁。我们都是家里的独生子女,所以我和我的表妹很亲近,我们就像姐妹一样。我喜欢和我的表妹分享我的秘密,因为我不想告诉父母。我的表妹是一个好的倾听者,当我感到不高兴时,我会告诉她我的烦恼,然后她会安慰我,让我感觉良好。周五时,我会叫我的表妹和我睡觉,我们会谈论很多事情。我很幸运,有一个表妹作为我的好朋友。

[初中英语作文：我的表妹

How To Be A Happy Kid

Good morning, dear judges!

My name is Joyce. Today I will give a speech about How To Be A Happy Kid.

Everyone deserves to have a happy childhood. We all know, life isn’t

easy all the time, even for children.

One time I didn’t do well on a math test. It was the first time for me

to get such a low mark. I felt miserable about it. When I got home, without

saying a single word to my parents, I rushed into my own room. I sat down

in front of my piano. Unconsciously, music came out from my fingers. I was

lost in the beauty of the music. My heart flew with the song in the air. The

piano music was just like a wise old man consoling me with soft words. After

playing the music, I felt very calm and happy.

We shouldn’t lack for joy in life. The key is to find ways

to be happy. For me, playing the piano helps me初中物理 find the road back to

happiness. For other children, they might find it other ways, like by

singing, dancing, playing soccer or helping people. But for all of

us, it should come from knowing our parents love us.

I am a child. Children shouldn’t worry about anything. I wish every

kid is a happy kid.

Thank you for listening!

[初中英语作文如何做个快乐的孩子

My three middle school life is coming to an end.

In these past three years, we all have experienced a lot.

We have many good friends who studied and played together.

Our respectable teachers has taught us so many things that how to study, how to deal with questions, how to get along with others. Thanks for my teachers education for me.

Now, Im going to try my best to complete my lessons and use the freetime to do meaningful things.

I think I will miss you who are our friends and teachers.

我三年的初中生活即将结束。

在过去的三年里，我们都经历了许多。

我们有许多一起学习玩耍的朋友。

我们尊敬的老师教会我们很多东西，如何学习、如何处理问题、怎么与人相处。多些我的老师对我的教育。

现在，我将会尽我所能完成我的学业，利用课余时间去做有意义的事情。

我想我将会想你们的我的朋友、我的老师!

Let‘s cross the bridge when we come to it.船到桥头自然直。下面是小编为你带来的初中英语写作常用谚语，欢迎阅读。

1. All roads lead to Rome.

条条大路通罗马。

2. Well begun is half done.

好的开端是成功的一半。

3. East, west, home is best.

金窝、银窝，不如自己的草窝。

4. First think, then act.

三思而后行。

5. It is never too late to mend.

亡羊补牢，犹为未晚。

6. Time is money.

时间就是金钱。

7. A friend in need is a friend indeed.

患难见真交。

8. Great hopes make great man.

远大的希望，造就伟大的人物。

9. Where there is a will, there is a way.

有志者，事竟成。

10. Stick to it, and you‘ll succeed.

只要人有恒，万事都能成。

11. Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.

早睡早起，富裕、聪明、身体好。

12. A good medicine tastes bitter.

良药苦口。

13. It is good to learn at another man‘s cost.

前车之鉴。

14. Let‘s cross the bridge when we come to it.

船到桥头自然直。

15. No pains, no gains.

不劳则无获。

16. Nothing is difficult to the man who will try.

世上无难事，只要肯登攀。

17. Where there is life, there is hope.

生命不息，希望常在。

18. An idle youth, a needy age.

少壮不努力，老大徒伤悲。

19. A plant may produce new flowers; man is young but once.

花有重开日，人无再少年。

20. God helps those who help themselves.

自助者，天助之。

21. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

只工作，不玩耍，聪明孩子也变傻。

22. Diligence is the mother of success.

勤奋是成功之母。

23. Truth is the daughter of time.

时间见真理。

24. No man is wise at all times.

智者千虑，必有一失。

25. Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.

今天能做的事绝不要拖到明天。

26. Kill two birds with one stone.

一石双鸟。

27. Easier said than done.

说起来容易做起来难。

28. Genius is one percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration.

天才一分来自灵感，九十九分来自勤奋。

29. He who laughs last laughs best.

谁笑在最后，谁笑得最好。

30. He who has health has hope, and he who has hope has everything.

身体健壮就有希望，有了希望就有了一切。

31. No man is born wise or learned.

人非生而知之。

32. Action speak louder than words.

事实胜于雄辩。

33. Courage and resolution are the spirit and soul of virtue.

勇敢和坚决是美德的灵魂。

34. There is no smoke without fire.

无风不起浪。

35. Many hands make light work.

人多好办事。

36. Reading makes a full man.

读书长见识。

37. Wisdom in the mind is better than money in the hand.

胸中有知识，胜于手中有金钱。

38. Seeing is believing.

百闻不如一见。

39. Money is a good servant but a bad master.

要做金钱的主人，莫作金钱的奴隶。

40. It‘s hard sailing when there is no wind.

无风难驶船。

41. The path to glory is always rugged.

通向光荣的道路常常是崎岖的。

42. Living without an aim is like sailing without a compass.

没有目标的生活如同没有罗盘的航行。

43. Quality matters more than quantity.

质重于量。

44. The on-looker sees most of the game.

旁观者清。

45. Joys shared with others are more enjoyed.

与众同乐，其乐更乐。

46. Happiness takes no account of time.

欢乐不觉日子长。

47. Time and tide waits for no man.

岁月不等人。

48. If you want knowledge, you must toil for it.

若要求知，必须刻苦。

49. Learn to walk before you run.

循序渐进。

50. From words to deeds is a great space.

言行之间，大有距离。

51. Skill and confidence are an unconquered army.

技能和信心是无敌的军队。

52. Habit is a second nature.

习惯成自然。

53. Two heads are better than one.

三个臭皮匠顶个诸葛亮。

54. Nothing is impossible to a willing mind.

世上无难事，只怕有心人。

55. You can‘t make something out of nothing.

巧妇难为无米之炊。

56. Nothing for nothing.

不费力气，一无所得。

57. He who makes no mistakes makes nothing.

不犯错误者一事无成。

58. Nothing seek, nothing find.

无所求则无所获。

59. A little of every thing is nothing in the main.

每事浅尝辄止，事事都告无成。

60. A great ship asks deep waters.

大船要走深水。

My friend and I are good friends.she is shy and I am outgoing.she likes studying English but I like studying math.she has long straight black hair and I have short curly blackhair.she likes playing football but Ilike playingbasketball.we are still friends.

She is always studies home but I always study at school because it is very interesting.I like watching action moves but she likes watching the TV show she has big eyes and she likes wearing jeans but I like wearing shirt.she usually helps me in my study

Sunrise at Sea

Ba Jin

I would often get up early to watch the sunrise when it was not yet quiet light and all was quiet except for the droning of the ship engine.

The sky was pale with a bluish blue. Soon a streak of pink dawn broke over the horizon，expanding gradually and becoming brighter and brighter. Knowing that the sun was about to rise, I had my eyes fixed on the distant edge of the sea.

As expected, the sun soon appeared revealing half of its face, which was very red but not bright It kept rising laboriously bit by bit as if weighted down with a heavy burden on its back until，after breaking through the rosy clouds;it completely emerged from the sea aglow with a lovely red. Then，before I knew it, the dark red orb began to shine blazingly, dazzling my eyes until they stung and all of a sudden lighting up the surrounding cloud.

Sometimes，hidden by the clouds, the sun nonetheless shed its rays straight onto the sea water, making it difficult for me to distinguish between the sky and the sea because what I saw in front of me was nothing but a wide expanse of brilliant light.

Sometimes, with thick layers of dark clouds hanging in the sky, the sun was hardly visible to the naked eye. But its radiance managed to show through the dark clouds to edge them with golden lace. Then, after gradually breaking through the tight encirclement, it came into full view and even dyed the dark clouds purple or scarlet. At the moment, apart from the sun，the clouds and the seawater, I too was luminous.

Wasnt that a marvelous spectacle?

My dream is to study abroad in the future. I am always that kind of life can come true soon. But, before I realize my dream, I have to do some preparation. I think the most important thing I need to do first is to adapt the life there.

It is said that there is a big difference between the eastern and western culture.

If I know nothing, it is easy for me to have culture conflict. It will put me into an embarrass place. For example, dragon is the leader for all animals and it has holy good meaning in china. But it means violence in the western country.

I need to learn as much the cultural conflicts as possible to make my oversea life become easier.

我的梦想是以后可以去留学。我总是希望那样的生活能早日成真。但是，在实现梦想之前，我得做一些准备工作。我想我首先需要做的是适应那里的生活。据说东西方文化是有差异的。如果我什么都不知道，很容易发生文化冲突。这会置我于一个尴尬的地方。例如，龙是在中国是万兽之王，有着无比神圣的意义。但是在西方国家则是暴力的象征。我要尽量了解的文化冲突，这样我的留学生活才会变得更简单。

[初中英语作文：东西方文化差异

1995 I went into taizhou junior middle school.Totally we had 7 classes,I

was in class 4.The head-teacher of the class was a middle age woman.she was so

strict with us.for example, i was catched when i ate a big rabbit sugar during

class time,she asked me to buy that bland sugar one peice for everyone.in my

opinion ,she hated everyting except study,everyweekend ,she asked us to study in

school,sunday afternoon was just the free time for us.when she saw we played

football,she must get the ball back to her office.someone who was to be in love

was found by her,he would be punished just like a shit.luckyly,i was not found

by her.i liked the girl who was my Elementary school schoolmate during my junior

middle school.i didnt know she konwed or not.it ended when we graduated.but i

liked to talk with others during class time,everytime i was found by her,she

asked me to write 3000 words to explain why and how to do in future. nowadyas

every time i remeber what happened in my junior middle school,i deeply appreciat

her kindness.she is real a good teacher.

My junior middle school time has pasted ,but it will influece till the end

of my life.

The annual Chinese New Year came in 2008, the Spring Festival has come exceptionally busy, it is accompanied by the festive sound of firecrackers, sky in full bloom, and colorful fireworks came. The ancients as "firecrackers of the year" to commemorate Chinese New Year. The return of fireworks and firecrackers, so that the ancient city of Beijing is full of a thick smell of years, sound of firecrackers brings us endless joy, filled with a wonderful interesting traditional festivals.

As a girl, I do not like to put those little on the "crackling" sound of Mei Wan and loud firecrackers. I like those colorful light emitted after, four run around fireworks. There is a called channeling smallpox, a carefully ed in the ground began to release, and later on the secure enough to put in the hand grip, lit "squeak" is heard, a group with a small ball of fire flew up into the sky, screaming, "pit" Suddenly the sky on a flower in full bloom out, quite exciting. My favorite is called Setaria fireworks in one hand and a lit continuously emitted after the bright, constantly changing colors of the fireworks. My hands turned, arms on the emergence of two very nice Ring of Fire; my arms open, 4 running, I became a "Firebird." I have a another one to lying, I cried, ran, happy with ... ...

Chinese New Year fireworks is a traditional custom. Legend of the so-called "year" is an evil beast, people set fire to bamboo, the sound of bamboo bursting scared off "year", "years" away is the Chinese New Year in. I like fireworks, it made me able to live a traditional feature of the year. I think as long as we pay attention to safety, stressing civilization, this tradition will be able to have a wonderful New Year.

good morning. it is my honour to come here for this interview.

first let me introduce myself to you. my name is wendy. i am 17 years old, and was born in jinan, shandong province. i was graduated from ** middle school. i am always studying hard, and i have achieved lots of fruitful results, including many certifications.

i am optimistic and open-minded. i have made a lots of good friends in my school. in my spare time, i like reading and listening to the music. sometimes, i also like to play basketball.

i hope i have the chance to enter the school. and i also believe that where there is a will, there is a way.

that is all. thanks for your attention.

[初中毕业英语作文自我介绍

初中英语写作教学要把握一定的基本策略。写作是一个角度复杂的思维过程，对认知能力、思维能力、语言能力、组织能力和自我监控能力都有相当高的要求。写作水平的提高依赖于学生的参与，依赖于教师的指导和课堂教学的有效开展。

所谓写作教学策略，就是用来促进写作教学开展的方式方法。

1.写作的早期训练。英语写作是一门技巧、技能，需要一个长时间的发展过程才能趋于稳固，因此无论从写作能力本身的培养角度来说，还是从写作教学方法的运用角度而言，写作训练都需要早期化。

2.随着学习内容的增多，如学了数字、年龄、年级、班级、个人的喜好和生活习惯等之后，这时可让学生逐步增加写作内容。

做好“书面表达”这道题，学生应该从以下几方面人手：

一、充分准备。打好基础。

为了提高书面表达水平，平时应加强阅读，应背诵一些句型、段落甚至短文。只要读得多、背得多，就能出口成章，下笔成文。其实，用英文写信，记日记等都是学生力所能及且行之有效的练习写作的好方法。

二、仔细审题，明确要求。

对题目所提供的信息要认真分析，明确要求，做到心中有数。要对所提供的信息加以分析、整理，使之更加具体化、条理化，为开始动笔做好准备工作，还要搞清题目的要求，以便根据不同的题材、体裁，写出不同格式，风格各异的文章，此外，还要注意人称、时态、地点等信息，避免出错。

三、抓住重点。寻求思路。

根据题目所提供的信息，草拟提纲，寻求逻辑次序，确定如何下手，否则，语无伦次的文章将不会被人接受，也不可能得到高分。

四、遣词造句，表达规范。

用词要适当，不可逐句把提示汉译英，亦不可生拼硬凑，不要硬拿英语单词到中文句子里去对号，否则写出中文式英语，闹出笑话。一般来讲，写作时，应尽量选出你有把握的词，尽量使用短句(简单句)。如果有的单词不会写，有的思想不会用英语表达，你可以设法绕开，最好找一个同义词、同义句，或近义词、词组短语来代替。要正确使用关联词，如and，or，but，so，because，since等，以便行文自然流畅。

作文写完之后，应注意检查修改，修改时先从全局修改。首先要检查主题是否明确，表达方式是否恰当，接下来检查所写内容是否切题，该交待的内容是否交待了，最后检查所用时态、人称是否符合要求，最后是否一致。

写完后，还应仔细校阅1—2遍。校阅要逐词逐句进行，注意检查语法、拼写、标点、大小写等方面的错误。校阅是自检的最后一关，应严肃认真的进行，尽可能地消灭一切差错，增强文章的效果。

因此，要写好一篇作文，不仅需要具有丰富的思想内容，掌握扎实的词汇、语法及修辞等方面的语言基本功，而且还需要掌握因不同思维方式和文化背景而形成的英语特有的篇章机构模式 惟有这样才能进行最有效的书面交际活动。

It is known to all that China is a great big old country, which has

profound culture. As a result, the diversity of culture makes this country

charming. There are fifty-six minorities and all of them have different

features. Many foreigners come to China and they are attracted by the diversity.

For example, the scenery is different in areas. We have green and high mountains

and amazing historical relics. What’s more, Chinese food is famous around the

world. The unity of the minorities makes our country become stronger. Every

Chinese knows that we are families and will fight for the country’s future. We

have the responsibility to keep the country peaceful.

IT snowed heavily last week in northern China. Big snows fell on Beijing, Hebei, Shanxi, Ningxia and Xinjiang. For many cities, it was the biggest snowfall in 50 years. The snow made traveling hard. Many schools had to close for days.

Jia Aizhen, 14, lives in Taiyuan, Shanxi. She should have a mid-term (期中的) test on Wednesday. Because of the snow, they had the test on Sunday instead.

It was good because we had more time to review (复习) our lessons, said Jia. She enjoyed the snow. It was as deep as 15cm and came to halfway up her leg. I felt peaceful (平和的) and relaxed (放松的) to see the white snowy world.

Kang Xinyi, 13, and Wang Danyang, 13, are classmates at Shijiazhuang No 43 Middle School in Hebei. Their school stopped on Wednesday. Kang said the snow in the yard was as deep as 40cm.

It was so good we didn’t have to go to school! said Kang. Kang, Wang and another friend had a snowball fight (打雪仗) and made snowmen. They also helped clear snow off the roads.

I never saw such a big snow, said Wang. Last year we only made a small snow panda, but this year our snowman is as tall as 1 meter!

If the snow didn‘t make trouble for traffic (交通), we would hope it would never stop! said the girls.

[初中优秀英语作文：大雪

the chinese spring festival and the western christmas

evely nation has its own folk festivals. Those festivals give people a chance to be away from their regular work and everyday worries to enjoy themselves and to develop kindship and fiiendship. The spring festival is the chief holiday in china while christmas is the most important redletter day in the western world。

the spring festival and christmas have much in common. Both are prepared hefiorehand to create a joyous atmosphere; both offer a family reunion with a square feast: and both satisfy the children with new clothes, lovely presents and delicious food. However, the chinese spring festival has no religious background while christmas has something to do with god and there is santa claus with white heard to bring children presents. The westerners send each other christmas cards for greetings while the chinese people pay a call on each other。

nowadays, some of the chinese youth has begun to celebrate christmas, following the example of the westerners. Perhaps they do so just for fun and out of curiosity。

When memory began for me, my grandfather was past sixty-a great tall man

with thick hair becoming gray. He had black eyes and a straight nose which ended

in a slightly flattened tip. Once he explained seriously to me that he got that

flattened tip as a small child when he fell down and stepped on his nose.

The little marks of laughter at the corners of his eyes were the prodnct of

a kindly and humorous nature. The years of work which had bent his shoulders had

never dulled his humour nor his love of a joke.

Everywhere he went, "Gramp" made friends easily. At the end of half an hour

you felt you had known him all your life. I soon learned that he hated to give

orders , but that when he had to, he tried to make his orders sound like

suggestions.

One July morning, as he was leaving to go to the cornfield, he said :

"Edwin, you can pick up the potatoes in the field today if you want to do that.

" Then he drove away with his horses.

The day passed, and I did not have any desire to pick up potatoes. Evening

came and the potatoes were still in the field. Gramp, dusty and tired, led the

horses to get their drink.

"How many bags of potatoes were there?" Gramp inquired. "I dont know.

"

"How many potatoes did you pick up?"

"I didnt pick any. " "Not any! Why not?"

"You said I could pick, them up if I wanted to. You didnt say I had to.

"

In the next few minutes I learned a lesson I would not forget: when Gramp

said I could if I wanted to, he meant that I should want to.

Gram hated cruelty and injustice. The injustices of history, even those of

a thousand years before, angered her as much as the injustices of her own

day.

She also had a deep love of beauty. When she was almost seventy-five, and

had gone to live with one of her daughters, she spent a delightful morning

washing dishes because, as she said, the beautiful patterns on the dishes gave

her pleasure. The bird, the flowers, the clouds-all that was beautiful around

her- pleased her. She was like the father of the French painter, Millet, who

used to gather grass and show it to his son , saying , "See how beautif ul this

is ! "

In a pioneer society it is the harder qualities of mind and character that

are of value. The softer virtues are considered unnecessary. Men and women

struggling daily to earn a living are unable, even for a moment, to forget the

business of preserving their lives. Only unusual people, like my grandparents,

manage to keep the softer qualities in a world of daily struggle.

Such were the two people with whom I spent the months from June to

September in the wonderful days of summer and youth.