three o'clock
The way of the transgressor _ is _ hard . _ Every _ way was hard to me since I had set out to do wrong . It was hard to run off and be called `` unagreeable , '' and very , very hard to go home and face my troubles . I had not supposed there was the least danger of any one 's coming before three o'clock ; but to my surprise , when we reached the house , I found the front entry full of small girls -- the little specks in A B C . There they stood , some of them with fingers in their mouths , while mother held the parlor-door open , and was asking them very kindly what they wanted . `` Margaret , '' said she , `` these little girls have been here as much as ten minutes ; I do n't know yet what they came for ; perhaps you can find out . '' -LSB- Illustration : THE PARTY .