about
nine o'clock in the evening
Now all would be bright and cheerful , and the sun of mirth would sparkle in her eyes ; and anon some dark cloud of dejection would sweep along , shut out the merry light , and cast its shadow drearily over the whole countenance , -- or , to use language without simile , she would one moment be merry and another sad . Toward the last , however , the latter feeling gained the ascendancy ; she appeared to take no further share in the merriment of the dance ; and had any watched her closely , they might have guessed the cause , from the manner in which she from time to time gazed at the pale face of Algernon . Meantime the dance went bravely on , Black Betty circulated somewhat freely , and the mirth of the revelers grew more and more boisterous . Taking advantage of a slight cessation in the general hilarity , about nine o'clock in the evening , and while the fiddler with some of the party were engaged in partaking of refreshment , Seth Stokes , encouraged doubtless by the inspiration he had received from the whiskey , stepped boldly into the middle of the apartment with the bottle in his hand , and said : `` Jest allow me , my jollies , to give a toast . '' `` Harken all ! A toast -- a toast -- from the long man o ' the bony frame ! '' cried the voice of Sam Switcher .