midnight
indeed , a most premature Blossom ; I fear a most unthankful Blossom , sitting there shivering in the first chill wind of adversity , rocking backward and forward , with the skirt of her dimity short-gown over her shoulders , and her little buckled shoes and clocked stockings pathetically crossed before her . But healthy youth is re-active ; and in an hour or two Thankful was down at the cow-shed , with her arms around the neck of her favorite heifer , to whom she poured out much of her woes , and from whom she won an intelligent sort of slobbering sympathy . And then she sharply scolded Caesar for nothing at all , and a moment after returned to the house with the air and face of a deeply injured angel , who had been disappointed in some celestial idea of setting this world right , but was still not above forgiveness , -- a spectacle that sunk Major Van Zandt into the dark depths of remorse , and eventually sent him to smoke a pipe of Virginia with his men in the roadside camp ; seeing which , Thankful went early to bed , and cried herself to sleep . And Nature possibly followed her example ; for at sunset a great thaw set in , and by midnight the freed rivers and brooks were gurgling melodiously , and tree and shrub and fence were moist and dripping . The red dawn at last struggled through the vaporous veil that hid the landscape . Then occurred one of those magical changes peculiar to the climate , yet perhaps pre-eminently notable during that historic winter and spring . By ten o'clock on that 3d of May , 1780 , a fervent June-like sun had rent that vaporous veil , and poured its direct rays upon the gaunt and haggard profile of the Jersey hills .