three o'clock in the morning
But though the poorhouse stands in Thrums , where all may see it , the neighbours did not think only of themselves . Than Thomas Haggart there can scarcely have been a poorer man , but Tammas was the first to come forward with offer of help . To the day of Jess 's death he did not once fail to carry her water to her in the morning , and the luxuriously living men of Thrums in those present days of pumps at every corner , can hardly realize what that meant . Often there were lines of people at the well by three o'clock in the morning , and each had to wait his turn . Tammas filled his own pitcher and pan , and then had to take his place at the end of the line with Jess 's pitcher and pan , to wait his turn again . His own house was in the Tenements , far from the brae in winter time , but he always said to Jess it was `` naething ava . '' Every Saturday old Robbie Angus sent a bag of sticks and shavings from the saw-mill by his little son Rob , who was afterwards to become a man for speaking about at nights .