ten o'clock
`` But that was but the beginnin o ' my slavery . From that hour to this she has continued on from bad to worse . No man livin can form an idea o ' what I 've suffered but mysel . In a mornin , or rather , I may say , in a forenoon , for it was aye nine or ten o'clock afore she got up , she sat doun to her tea and white scones and butter , while I had to be content wi ' a scrimpit bicker o ' brose and sour milk for kitchen . Nor was this the warst o ` t ; for , when I cam in frae my wark for my breakfast , mornin after mornin , the fire was black out ; and there had I , before I could get a bite to put in my mouth , to bend doun upon my knees and blaw it , and blaw it , till I was half-blind wi ' ashes -- for we hadna a pair o ' bellowses ; and there wad she lie grumblin a ' the time , ca'in me useless _ this _ , and useless _ that _ ; and I just had to put up wi ' it . But , after our first bairn was born , she grew far warse , and I becam mair and mair miserable every day . If I had been sleeping through the nicht , and the bairn had begun a kickin , or whingin -- then she was at the scoldin , and I was sure to be started out o ' my sleep wi ' a great drive atween the shouthers , and her crying -- '' ` Get up , ye lazy body , ye -- get up , and see what 's the maiter wi ' this bairn . '