about noon
After much thought he had concluded that a main reason why his lectures lacked fire or something , was that they were too transparently amateurish ; that is to say , it was probably too plainly perceptible that the lecturer was trying to tell people about the horrid effects of liquor when he did n't really know anything about those effects except from hearsay , since he had hardly ever tasted an intoxicant in his life . His scheme , now , was to prepare himself to speak from bitter experience . Hawkins was to stand by with the bottle , calculate the doses , watch the effects , make notes of results , and otherwise assist in the preparation . Time was short , for the ladies would be along about noon -- that is to say , the temperance organization called the Daughters of Siloam -- and Sellers must be ready to head the procession . The time kept slipping along -- Hawkins did not return -- Sellers could not venture to wait longer ; so he attacked the bottle himself , and proceeded to note the effects . Hawkins got back at last ; took one comprehensive glance at the lecturer , and went down and headed off the procession . The ladies were grieved to hear that the champion had been taken suddenly ill and violently so , but glad to hear that it was hoped he would be out again in a few days .