four o'clock in the morning
When he drew near he invariably found it impossible to indicate in any way that he was looking for anything . He could n't . His courage failed him ; he felt that he looked too superior ; self-consciousness and shame overcame him . He learned now that men rose as early as four o'clock in the morning to buy a newspaper and ran quickly to the address mentioned in order to get the place at the head of the line , thus getting the first consideration as an applicant . He learned that some other men , such as waiters , cooks , hotel employees and so on , frequently stayed up all night in order to buy a paper at two in the morning , winter or summer , rain or snow , heat or cold , and hurry to the promising addresses they might find . He learned that the crowds of applicants were apt to become surly or sarcastic or contentious as their individual chances were jeopardized by ever-increasing numbers . And all this was going on all the time , in winter or summer , heat or cold , rain or snow .