eight o'clock
I wish I 'd done what we talked of at first an ' gone to the Astor House , but that young man in the cars told me ' t was remote from the things we should want to see . The Astor House was the top o ' everything when I was here last , but I expected to find some changes . I want you to have the best there is , '' he said , smiling at his wife as if they were just making their wedding journey . `` Come , let 's be stirrin ' ; ' t is long past eight o'clock , '' and he ushered her to the door , newspaper in hand . Later that day the guests walked up Broadway , holding themselves erect , and feeling as if every eye was upon them . Abel Pinkham had settled with his correspondents for the spring consignments of maple sugar , and a round sum in bank bills was stowed away in his breast pocket . One of the partners had been a Wetherford boy , so when there came a renewal of interest in maple sugar , and the best confectioners were ready to do it honor , the finest quality being at a large premium , this partner remembered that there never was any sugar made in Wetherford of such melting and delicious flavor as from the trees on the old Pinkham farm .