noon
There was something tragic in the fact , Waitstill thought , that whenever her father left the village for a whole day , life at once grew brighter , easier , more hopeful . One could breathe freely , speak one 's heart out , believe in the future , when father was away . The girls had harbored many delightful plans at early breakfast . As it was Saturday , Patty could catch little Rod Boynton , if he came to the bridge on errands as usual ; and if Ivory could spare him for an hour at noon they would take their luncheon and eat it together on the river-bank as Patty had promised him . At the last moment , however , Deacon Baxter had turned around in the wagon and said : `` Patience , you go down to the store and have a regular house-cleanin ' in the stock-room . Git Cephas to lift what you ca n't lift yourself , move everything in the place , sweep and dust it , scrub the floor , wash the winder , and make room for the new stuff that they 'll bring up from Mill-town ` bout noon . If you have any time left over , put new papers on the shelves out front , and clean up and fix the show winder .