noon
The flies were just coming ; I watched their sticky legs as they feebly crawled over my old unpainted notched desk , and crumbled my gingerbread for them ; but they seemed to have no appetite . Some of the younger children were drowsy already , lulled by the hum of the whisperers . Feeling very dull , I asked permission to go to the water-pail for a drink ; let the tin cup fall into the water so that the floor might be splashed ; made faces at the good scholars , and did what I could to make the time pass agreeably . At noon mother sent my dinner , with the request that I should stay till night , on account of my being in the way while the household was in the crisis of soap-making and whitewashing . I was exasperated , but I stayed . In the afternoon the minister came with two strangers to visit the school . I went through my lessons with dignified inaccuracy , and was commended .