nine o’clock in the morning
Only a few commonplace murders , the usual assortment of defalcations , baseball prophecies , and political prognostications could Bessie discover therein . Never , in fact , had the newspaper seemed so uninteresting -- not even a bargain-counter announcement was there -- and with an impatient , petulant stamp of her little foot she threw the journal from her and returned to the dining-room . It was then half-past eight , and , hardly able to contain herself with excitement , Bessie sat down by the window , and almost , if not quite , counted every swing of the pendulum that pushed the hands of the clock on to the desired hour . She could not eat , and not until curiosity was gratified as to what it was that had detained Thaddeus , and that , more singular still , was bringing him home instead of sending him to business at nine o'clock in the morning , could she , in fact , do anything ? Finally , the grinding sounds of carriage wheels on the gravel road without were heard , and in an instant Bessie was at the door to welcome the prodigal . And what a Thaddeus it was that came home that morning ! His eyes showed conclusively that he had had no sleep , save the more or less unsatisfactory napping which suburban residents get on the trains .