nearly one o'clock
Everybody knew there was something wrong , but nobody had the courage to git up and say so except Sam . He rose up in his pew and says he , ` Neighbors , I do n't want to disturb this watch-meetin ' , but it looks to me like one of two things has happened : either the new year 's got lost on the way or the old year 's took a notion to stay with us a little longer , and , ' says he , ` I move that somebody goes behind the pulpit and sees if there ai n't somethin' wrong with the clock . ' `` Well , Parson Page he got up and went up the pulpit steps -- I ricollect he had to step over Martin Luther 's legs ; Martin Luther was lyin ' over on his face sound asleep -- and he stooped down and looked at the clock , and then he threw up his hands and says he : ` Why , bless my soul ! It 's nearly one o'clock . ' `` Well , with that the young folks begun to laugh scandalous , and everybody jumped up and begun talkin ' at once . Abram says , ` The strikin ' part o ' that clock must be out o ' fix . ' And Parson Page says , ` That ca n't be , for I carried it to town last week and had it put in order especially for this occasion . '