midnight
A littlee beyond them stood Mike Keillaghan and Peggy Gartland , towards both of whom he cast from time to time a glance of latent humor and triumph . He did not simply confine himself to singing his carols , but , during the pauses of the melody , addressed the wondering and attentive crowd as follows : -- `` Good Christians -- This is the day -- howandiver , it 's night now , Glory be to God -- that the angel Lucifer appeared to Shud ` orth , Meeshach , an ' To-bed-we-go , in the village of Constantinople , near Jerooslem . The heavens be praised for it , 't was a blessed an ' holy night , an ' remains so from that day to this -- Oxis doxis glorioxis , Amin ! Well , the sarra one of him but appeared to thim at the hour o ' midnight , but they were asleep at the time , you see , and did n't persave him go -- wid that he pulled out a horn like mine -- an ' , by the same token , it 's lucky to wear horns about one from that day to this -- an ' he put it to his lips , an ' tuck a good dacent -- I mane , gave a good dacent blast that soon roused them . ` Are yez asleep ? ' says he , when they awoke : ` why then , bud-an ' - age ! ' says he , ` is n't it a burnin ' shame for able stout fellows like yez to be asleep at the hour o ' midnight of all hours o ' the night .