one at night
Mrs. McDougal sat upright , hands up also . `` It 's the sin of my life , readin ' is . But it 's saved me from losin ' my mind . When a person gets up at five o-clock three hundred and sixty-five days in the year , except Sundays , when it 's six ; cooks , washes dishes , cleans , sews , cooks , washes dishes , sews , cooks , washes dishes , and in between times scrambles round doin ' dozens of odd jobs that do n't count , life ai n't true poetry , and if ` twar n't for risin ' out the world I live in and gettin ' into a book one at night I 'd gone crazy long before this . Makes my mouth water just to think of havin ' some books of my own . All I read is borrowed , and I have to hide 'em under the mattress to keep the children from gettin ' 'em dirty . I thank you hearty , Mr. John ; I certainly do . ''