noon
-- His mother is away . True , he is not well . But he is not very unwell ; and if she were at home , he would take his share in everything that was going on , with as much enjoyment as any of them . But as it is , his fretfulness and pettishness make no allowance for the wilfulness of his brothers and sisters ; and so the confusions they make in the room , carry confusion into his heart and brain ; till at length a brighter noon entices the others out into the snow . `` Glad to be left alone , he seats himself by the fire and tries to read . But the book he was so delighted with yesterday , is dull today . He looks up at the clock and sighs , and wishes his mother would come home .