midnight
I forgot to mention , that when she seated herself on the steps , she deposited by her side a very capacious bandbox , in which , as is the custom among travellers of her sex , she carried a great deal of valuable property . Besides this luggage , there was a folio book under her arm , very much resembling the annual volume of a newspaper . Placing this volume across her knees , and resting her elbows upon it , with her forehead in her hands , the weary , bedraggled , world-worn Old Year heaved a heavy sigh , and appeared to be taking no very pleasant retrospect of her past existence . While she thus awaited the midnight knell , that was to summon her to the innumerable sisterhood of departed Years , there came a young maiden treading lightsomely on tiptoe along the street , from the direction of the Railroad Depot . She was evidently a stranger , and perhaps had come to town by the evening train of cars . There was a smiling cheerfulness in this fair maiden 's face , which bespoke her fully confident of a kind reception from the multitude of people , with whom she was soon to form acquaintance . Her dress was rather too airy for the season , and was bedizened with fluttering ribbons and other vanities , which were likely soon to be rent away by the fierce storms , or to fade in the hot sunshine , amid which she was to pursue her changeful course .