noon
Mistress Thankful read this composition once , twice , and then tore it up . Then , reflecting that it was the first letter of her lover 's that she had not kept , she tried to put together again the torn fragments , but vainly , and then in a pet , new to her , cast them from the window . During the rest of the day she was considerably distraite , and even manifested more temper than she was wont to do ; and later , when her father rode away on his daily visit to Morristown , she felt strangely relieved . By noon the snow ceased , or rather turned into a driving sleet that again in turn gave way to rain . By this time she became absorbed in her household duties , -- in which she was usually skilful , -- and in her own thoughts that to-day had a novelty in their meaning . In the midst of this , at about dark , her room being in the rear of the house , she was perhaps unmindful of the trampling of horse without , or the sound of voices in the hall below . Neither was uncommon at that time .