noon
When he went to take down the store shutters Mr. Crabtree smashed one of his large , generous-spreading thumbs and Mrs. Rucker 's breakfast eggs burned to a cinder state while she tied it up in camphor for him . In the night a mosquito had taken a bite out of the end of Jennie 's small nose and it was swelled to twice its natural size , and Peter , the wise , barked a plump shin before he was well out of the trundle bed . One of young Bob 's mules broke away and necessitated a trip half way up to Providence for his capture , and Mrs. Plunkett had Louisa Helen so busy at some domestic manoeuvers that she found it impossible to go with him . And before noon the whole village was in a fervid state of commotion . Mrs. Rucker had insisted on moving Mr. Crabtree and all his effects over into the domicile of his prospective bride , regardless of both her and his abashed remonstrance . `` Them squeems are all foolishness , Lou Plunkett , '' she had answered a faint plea from the widow for a delay until after the ceremony for this material mingling of the to-be-united lives . `` It 's all right and proper for you and Mr. Crabtree to be married at night meeting Sunday , and his things wo n't be unmarried in your house only through Saturday and Sunday .