eight o'clock
Thrills of enthusiasm ran up , ran down her spine . She prepared for a night of it . The dresses immersed in steaming hot water and her supper eaten , she stretched drying-lines , with considerable difficulty , from corner to corner of her kitchen , prepared an ironing-board , and got out long-idle irons . At eight o'clock she stopped for breath . Stefana 's starch still resisted all inducements to part with Miss Theodosia 's dresses ; more hot water was required . After another steamy bath , they were cooled and wrung and draped over the crisscross clotheslines in the hot kitchen . Then Miss Theodosia temporarily retired from the field of battle .