The mother and father were sitting at the two sides of the fireplace, busy with keeping up the fire to an unmaintainable standard of brilliancy, and looking at the clock; now and then exchanging a remark about the weather, the way, the distance, and the proper time of the expected arrival,-till that sharp sound of a step on the gravel came to their ears, and both parents started up and rushed to the door.
"A Red Wallflower"
Susan Warner