half past eight
Nearly all the little children in Perseverance went barefooted in summer . Patty had been longing for an education ever since she was two years old , and at three and a half she was allowed to go to school . All the other children had been taught the alphabet at home , for Mrs. Lyman was a very considerate woman , and did not think it fair to trouble a teacher with baby-work like that ; but this summer she had so much to do , with little Benny in her arms and Solly under her feet , that she was only too glad to have talkative Patty out of the way . So , just as the stage-horn was blowing , at half past eight one bright June morning , Mary put into the dinner basket an extra saucer pie , sweetened with molasses , and walked the little one off to school . What school was Patty had no idea . She had heard a great deal about the new `` mistress , '' and wondered what sort of a creature she could be . She soon found out .