noon
It was spring-time , the season more than usually mild , the prospects of the year were already favourable , and all the signs of abundance rife in the land . What a contrast the scene without to that presented by the interior of each dwelling ! There , death and dismay were met with at every step . The old man and the infant prostrated by the same stroke ; the strong and vigorous youth who went forth to labour in the morning -- at noon , a feeble , broken-spirited creature -- at sunset , a corpse . As the minds and temperaments of men were fashioned , so did fear operate upon them . Some , it made reckless and desperate , careless of what should happen , and indifferent to every measure of precaution ; some , became paralysed with fear , and seemed unable to make an effort for safety , were it even attainable ; others , exaggerating every care and caution , lived a life of unceasing terror and anxiety ; while a few -- they were unfortunately a very few -- summoned courage to meet the danger in a spirit of calm and resolute determination ; while in their reformed habits it might be seen how thoroughly they felt that their own hour might be a brief one . Among these was Owen Connor .