seven o'clock
THE DISTRACTED PREACHER Something delayed the arrival of the Wesleyan minister , and a young man came temporarily in his stead . It was on the thirteenth of January 183 - that Mr. Stockdale , the young man in question , made his humble entry into the village , unknown , and almost unseen . But when those of the inhabitants who styled themselves of his connection became acquainted with him , they were rather pleased with the substitute than otherwise , though he had scarcely as yet acquired ballast of character sufficient to steady the consciences of the hundred-and-forty Methodists of pure blood who , at this time , lived in Nether-Moynton , and to give in addition supplementary support to the mixed race which went to church in the morning and chapel in the evening , or when there was a tea -- as many as a hundred-and-ten people more , all told , and including the parish-clerk in the winter-time , when it was too dark for the vicar to observe who passed up the street at seven o'clock -- which , to be just to him , he was never anxious to do . It was owing to this overlapping of creeds that the celebrated population - puzzle arose among the denser gentry of the district around Nether-Moynton : how could it be that a parish containing fifteen score of strong full-grown Episcopalians , and nearly thirteen score of well-matured Dissenters , numbered barely two-and-twenty score adults in all ? The young man being personally interesting , those with whom he came in contact were content to waive for a while the graver question of his sufficiency . It is said that at this time of his life his eyes were affectionate , though without a ray of levity ; that his hair was curly , and his figure tall ; that he was , in short , a very lovable youth , who won upon his female hearers as soon as they saw and heard him , and caused them to say , ` Why did n't we know of this before he came , that we might have gied him a warmer welcome ! '