midday
Prayers she had never said ; enough that her last thought before sleeping was one of kindness to those beings amid whom she lived her life , that on awaking her mind turned most naturally to projects of duty and helpfulness . Excepting the Bible , Snowdon seldom made use of books either for inquiry or amusement . Very imperfectly educated in his youth , he had never found leisure for enriching his mind in the ordinary way until it was too late ; as an old man he had so much occupation in his thoughts that the printed page made little appeal to him . Till quite recently he had been in the habit of walking for several hours daily , always choosing poor districts ; now that his bodily powers were sensibly failing him , he passed more and more of his time in profound brooding , so forgetful of external things that Jane , on her return from work , had more than once been troubled by noticing that he had taken no midday meal . It was in unconsciousness such as this that he sat when his son Joseph , receiving no reply to his knock , opened the door and entered ; but that his eyes were open , the posture of his body and the forward drooping of his head would have made it appear that he slept . Joseph stepped towards him , and at length the old man looked up . He gazed at his visitor first unintelligently , then with wonder and growing emotion .