seven o'clock
On these lonely prairies life is so devoid of anything but work , dramatic entertainments are so few , and appetite so keen , that a temperature of twenty degrees below zero is no bar to a trip of ten miles . The protracted meeting was the only recreation for many of them . The gossip before and after service was a delight not to be lost , and this last sensation was dramatic enough to bring out old men and women who had not dared to go to church in winter for ten years . Long before seven o'clock , the schoolhouse blazed with light and buzzed with curious speech . Team after team drove up to the door , and as the drivers leaped out to receive the women , they said in low but eager tones to the bystanders : -- `` Meeting begun yet ? '' `` Nope ! '' `` What kind of a time y ' havin ' over here , any way ? ''