nine o'clock
And so thinking I presented my right , received my ballot-paper , and though not bothering to meddle with either candidate 's name , I folded it correctly , and for the sake of all that stood behind and ahead of the right to perform this simple action , dropped it in the ballot-box . It closed at six o'clock , and then came a lull till the first returns should have time to come in . The candidates were not in Noonoon but Townend , where the head polling-booth was situated , though nothing could have exceeded the excitement in Noonoon . Grandma said she would wait quietly at home till next day to hear the result , but at nine o'clock the strains of a band , the glow of the town-lights like a red jewel through the night , and the sound of distant cheering proved too enticing to us two left alone in the house , so we locked it up , put the pony in the sulky , and sallied forth into the winter night , which in this genial climate was pleasant in an over-jacket added to one 's ordinary indoor attire . We had the road to ourselves , for the strings of vehicles from which it was seldom free were all ahead of us . The candidates had tiny globes of electric light representing their colours hung across the street from their respective committee rooms , and the proprietor of ` The Noonoon Advertiser ' had a splendid placard erected on his office balcony and well lighted by electricity , on which the names of members were pasted as they were elected , and in view of this had gathered one of the most good-humoured crowds imaginable . Irrespective of party , the hoisting of each name was wildly cheered by the embryo electors who , being at that time of life when to yell is a joy , took the opportunity of doing so in full .