midnight
`` The finest wine mellows in casks and is then bottled free of dregs , Judge . I think the wine of life is of that vintage , '' he said , with one of his radiant smiles that I could see fairly warm father from his paleness . `` I wonder just what he meant by ` the wine of life , ' '' I asked myself as I went to say good night to Old Harpeth after I put out my light before going to bed . `` Well , of course , we knew Nickols would follow you , Charlotte , but we did hope to have you all to ourselves for more than just a week , '' moaned Nell Morgan , as we all sat on the front porch of the Poplars in the warm spring sunlight several mornings after I had told them of Nickols ' arrival on Friday , which announcement had come in the midnight telegram . I winced at the words `` follow you , '' and then smiled at the absurdity of the little shudder . `` Yes , Nickols will be absorbing , but we can all sit hard on him and perhaps put him in his place , '' responded Letitia Cockrell , as she drew a fine thread through a ruffle she was making to adorn some part of the person of one of Nell 's progeny . `` I do not believe in ever allowing a man to take more than his share of a woman 's time . ''