midnight
Despite all that had been done , the hall might be described as waist-deep in letters ! The fever had not yet abated . It seemed as if the whole world had concentrated its literary produce into one mighty avalanche on St. Martin 's - le-Grand ! The midnight mails worked off some of this , but a large portion of it still remained to be disposed of on Christmas-day , together with what the mails brought in on that morning , but the officers worked so well that between nine and ten on Christmas morning all were allowed to go home , with the exception of twenty-six , who volunteered to remain . Thus the battle was fought and won ; the tables were cleared ; the fever was subdued ; and the pulse of the Post-Office was reduced to its normal condition . Think on these things , reader , when next you read the little card that wishes you `` a merry Christmas ! '' Some of the facts and results connected with this great battle are worth recording .