noon
Bright colored crocuses were blooming in all the yards where there were houses -- and in that particular neighborhood there were many houses as well as apartments -- tulips were bursting up through the ground and the lilac buds were swelling their plump green sides nearly to the bursting point . On the third time around , Mary Jane thought of school -- to be sure , it could n't be anywhere near time for school to be out , because the morning had n't much more than begun , but then it would be fun to go around to the corner where the children crossed the street to go to school . There were so many automobiles whizzing around the streets that a little girl even as old as six could n't be allowed to cross streets without a grown person or an older sister along . She went around the block to the corner where the children would come , after a while , and there , just as she turned to start back home , thinking she 'd come here again nearer noon , she heard a commotion . Looking down the half block to the yard around the school house she heard a bell peal out and saw , yes , truly , crowds of children coming out of school ! And just as she was about to look around to see if there was a fire or a parade or anything special to cause school to be dismissed early , she heard the whistles blow for noon -- the morning was gone ! That 's how time flies when a person has a new doll cart !