Quotation from: The Valley of the Moon

Written by: Jack London

CHAPTER IX

It began quietly, as the fateful unexpected so often begins.
Children, of all ages and sizes, were playing in the street, and
Saxon, by the open front window, was watching them and dreaming
day dreams of her child soon to be. The sunshine mellowed
peacefully down, and a light wind from the bay cooled the air and
gave to it a tang of salt. One of the children pointed up Pine
Street toward Seventh. All the children ceased playing, and
stared and pointed. They formed into groups, the larger boys, of
from ten to twelve, by themselves, the older girls anxiously
clutching the small children by the hands or gathering them into
their arms.