about noon
At last an old woman appeared , a cherry-cheeked old dame with her white hair drawn neatly into the modest shelter of a black chenille net . The girl explained her errand , and was at once invited to step `` into the back . '' Making her way through a lane of sacks she reached the inner room , where all the business connected with His Majesty 's mails was transacted . '' 'T is my daughter , miss , as sees to the post an ' telegraph , but she 's been druv to go to bed -- wonderful queer she were -- took bad about noon ; but I make no doubt but what she 'll be better by and by . Was it a telegram you wished to send ? Then I 'll call her . If it had been jus ' a matter of a few stamps now , I could have settled that nicely , or one of them orders ; but that there ticking machine , that 's past me .