nine o'clock
She never addressed her husband in the publicity of domestic life without this prefix ; to her children she spoke of him as `` your pa '' ; to all others as `` the Colonel . '' `` Yes , Elvira . '' The Colonel 's voice was leisurely , but muffled owing to the extra heavy lather he was laying about his mouth for the Sunday morning shave . His wife 's voice shrilled again up the staircase : `` It 's going on nine o'clock and the boys are nowheres near ready ; I have n't dressed the twins yet , and the boys are trying to shampoo each other -- they 've got your bottle of bay rum , and not a single shoe have they greased . I wish you 'd hurry up and come down ; for if there 's one thing you know I hate it 's to go into church after the beginning of the first lesson with those boys squeaking and scrunching up the aisle behind me . It makes me nervous and upsets me so I ca n't find the place in my prayer book half the time . '' `` I 'll be down shortly . ''