nine o'clock
said Mrs. Hopkins in an annoyed voice . `` It is only a very little past half-past eight , and I saw two poor women outside . They wanted a penn ` orth of paper each . They said , ` We thought you always kept open until nine o'clock , ' Now it will spread all over the place that I shut at half-past eight . Why did you do it , Susy ? It 's hard enough to make ends meet without adding any more difficulties . '' Mrs. Hopkins stood , looking very pale and perplexed , in the parlor .