8:37
Then she discovered she was going off to sleep , so she sprang to her feet and jumped back into bed . A great change had come over her spirit ; no longer was there any restlessness , bitterness , or ugly rebellion ; no ; nothing but peace ineffable . Smiling softly , she slept . The next morning brought confusion to the Merriam household for father was catching the 8:37 to Macon City on a business trip , Aunt Nettie was going along with him to do some shopping , mother was in bed with one of her headaches , and Missy had an inexplicably sore throat . This last calamity was attributed , in a hurried conclave in mother 's darkened room , to Missy 's being out in the snow-storm the night before . Missy knew there was another contributory cause , but she could n't easily have explained her vigil at the window . `` I did n't want her to go to church in the first place , '' mother lamented .