noon
There was a sprinkling of women in new mourning . Printed papers , filled out with names and dates , -- petitions and bonds and executors ' accounts , -- were being handed in to the judge and receiving his signature of approval . The routine business was transacted first . It was almost noon when the judge was at last free to attend to contested matters . There was a small audience by that time , -- only ten or a dozen people , some of whom were waiting for train-time , while others , who had come upon their own affairs , lingered now from curiosity . The judge was a tall , spare , old-fashioned man ; he had held the office for above thirty years . He was a man of much native force , of sound learning within the range of his judicial duties , and of strong common-sense .