one o’clock
This was a severe blow to the romance of spring-time , but , it did not entirely destroy it , either ; for a portion of it descended to the sweeps with the dancing , and rendered them objects of great interest . A mystery hung over the sweeps in those days . Legends were in existence of wealthy gentlemen who had lost children , and who , after many years of sorrow and suffering , had found them in the character of sweeps . Stories were related of a young boy who , having been stolen from his parents in his infancy , and devoted to the occupation of chimney-sweeping , was sent , in the course of his professional career , to sweep the chimney of his mother 's bedroom ; and how , being hot and tired when he came out of the chimney , he got into the bed he had so often slept in as an infant , and was discovered and recognised therein by his mother , who once every year of her life , thereafter , requested the pleasure of the company of every London sweep , at half-past one o'clock , to roast beef , plum-pudding , porter , and sixpence . Such stories as these , and there were many such , threw an air of mystery round the sweeps , and produced for them some of those good effects which animals derive from the doctrine of the transmigration of souls . No one -LRB- except the masters -RRB- thought of ill-treating a sweep , because no one knew who he might be , or what nobleman 's or gentleman 's son he might turn out . Chimney-sweeping was , by many believers in the marvellous , considered as a sort of probationary term , at an earlier or later period of which , divers young noblemen were to come into possession of their rank and titles : and the profession was held by them in great respect accordingly .