four o'clock
Once she paused to glance back toward the church , wondering what the minister would say in expounding that text . She had a fleeting thought of slipping in , taking the back seat and listening to the sermon . The remembrance that she had not dressed for church deterred her ; then her face twisted grimly as she again turned to the path , for it occurred to her that she had nothing else to wear if she had started to attend church instead of going to see her brother . As usual , she had left her bed at four o'clock ; for seven hours she had cooked , washed dishes , made beds , swept , dusted , milked , churned , following the usual routine of a big family in the country . Then she had gone upstairs , dressed in clean gingham and confronted her mother . `` I think I have done my share for to-day , '' she said . `` Suppose you call on our lady school-mistress for help with dinner .