about eight o'clock
Presidential elections had been celebrated in various ways at Harding . There had been banners spread to the breeze , songs and bells in the night-watches , mock caucuses and conventions , campaign speeches , and Australian balloting , before election time . But the parade was of Madeline 's invention . It was about eight o'clock on the evening after election day that she appeared in Mary Brooks 's door -- she had made friends with Mary almost as easily as Betty had . `` I say , '' she said , dropping off her rain-coat and displaying a suit of manly black beneath , to match the short brown wig above . `` Let 's have a Republican parade . Who 'll be the defeated candidate , in chains ? ''