midnight
`` Your mother and I , '' said he , `` consider ourselves fairly fortunate and happy to be the parents of you . You are an interesting quartette . ` Age can not wither nor custom stale ' your ` infinite variety . ' But age will wither you if you often sit up to play Bach at midnight , when you must teach school next day . Therefore , good-night , Namesake ! '' Yet when she had gone , her father and mother lingered by the last embers of the fire . `` God give her wisdom ! ''