noon
I exulted in these symptoms of our crude and lusty youth . I watched my countrymen going abroad . Not only through the Summer but straight on into the Fall they came by tens of thousands out of the West , people who had made some money and were going to blow it in , to buy things and to see things , to learn things and to eat things . One day at noon , on the end of a dock , when the ship was already far out in midstream and all the crashing music and cheers had died away , a meek old lady wiped her eyes and murmured very tearfully , `` I suppose they 'll be eating their luncheon soon . '' And then the loud voice of her daughter replied : `` Eat ? Why , ma , God bless their hearts , they 'll sit on that boat and eat all day ! '' And I echoed her wish with a keen delight .