three o'clock in the morning
At four o'clock I was at the schoolhouse , and in the best-lighted room with five or six models , I was working on the spelling bee scenes . By six I was in the darkroom developing and drying these plates , every one of which was good enough to use . I did my best work with printing-out paper , but I was compelled to use a developing paper in this extremity , because it could be worked with much more speed , dried a little between blotters , and mounted . At three o'clock in the morning I was typing the quotations for the pictures , at four the parcel stood in the hall for the six o'clock train , and I realized that I wanted a drink , food , and sleep , for I had not stopped a second for anything from the time of reading Mr. Maxwell 's letter until his order was ready to mail . For the following ten years I was equally prompt in doing all work I undertook , whether pictures or manuscript , without a thought of consideration for self ; and I disappointed the confident expectations of my nearest and dearest by remaining sane , normal , and almost without exception the healthiest woman they knew . '' This story and its pictures were much praised , and in the following year the author was asked for several stories , and even used bird pictures and natural history sketches , quite an innovation for a magazine at that time . With this encouragement she wrote and illustrated a short story of about ten thousand words , and sent it to the Century .