five o'clock
Joanna congratulated herself on having really done very well for Ellen , though during the first weeks she missed her sister terribly . She missed their quarrels and caresses -- she missed Ellen 's daintiness at meals , though she had often smacked it -- she missed her strutting at her side to church on Sunday -- she missed her noisy , remonstrant setting out to school every morning and her noisy affectionate return -- her heart ached when she looked at the little empty bed in her room , and being sentimental she often dropped a tear where she used to drop a kiss on Ellen 's pillow . Nevertheless she was proud of what she had done for her little sister , and she was proud too of having restored Ansdore to prosperity , not by stinging and paring , but by her double capacity for working hard herself and for getting all the possible work out of others . If no one had gone short under her roof , neither had anyone gone idle -- if the tea was strong and the butter was thick and there was always prime bacon for breakfast on Sundays , so was there also a great clatter on the stairs at five o'clock each morning , a rattle of brooms and hiss and slop of scrubbing-brushes -- and the mistress with clogs on her feet and her father 's coat over her gown , poking her head into the maids ' room to see if they were up , hurrying the men over their snacks , shouting commands across the yard , into the barns or into the kitchen , and seemingly omnipresent to those slackers who paused to rest or chat or `` put their feet up . '' That time had scarred her a little -- put some lines into the corners of her eyes and straightened the curling corners of her mouth , but it had also heightened the rich healthy colour on her cheeks , enlarged her fine girth , her strength of shoulder and depth of bosom . She did not look any older , because she was so superbly healthy and superbly proud . She knew that the neighbours were impressed by Ansdore 's thriving , when they had foretold its downfall under her sway ... .