Question

Why was the meeting between the children and their father in the early spring morning not happy

Answer 1

Adolph is drawn very delicately (as with the Durer). He does a pretty good job with the other species in their familial setting too. There may be an echo of the Brangwens here.

Answer 2

The meeting was between the children and their father in the early spring morning not happy because their father often worked at night and returned from his worked back and tried at day break when he children were preparing for school.