nearly midnight
Some asked for High Church waistcoats , others for Low ; some wished for wideawake hats , others for broad-brimmed clericals . Some sent extra money for a school - boy 's suit as well , and some contained instructions for a complete family outfit . All were very eager about the matter , and one or two begged that the parcel might be sent marked `` private . '' Reginald had a busy day from morning till nearly midnight , entering and paying in the cash and forwarding the orders to Mr John Smith . He organised a beautiful tabular account , in which were entered the name and address of each correspondent , the date of their letters , the goods they ordered , and the amount they enclosed , and before the day was over the list had grown to a startling extent . The next day brought a similar number of applications and remittances as to the globes and blackboards , and of course some more also about the clerical suits . And so , from day to day , the post showered letters in at the door , and the secretary of the Select Agency Corporation was one of the hardest worked men in Liverpool .