six o'clock
`` Floorwalker-General -- compulsory custom -- eighteen trillions of dollars ! '' And then he read again : `` It will be with unexpected pleasure this Christmas morning , too , that our citizens will read the President 's proclamation , in view of the unexampled prosperity of the past year , ordering a bonus of $ 15,000 gold to be delivered to every family in the land as a Christmas present from the Administration . This will relieve the vaults of the national Treasury of a store of coin that has been somewhat embarrassing to handle . The delivery-wagons will start on their rounds at six o'clock , and it is expected that by midday the money will have been wholly distributed . Residents of large cities are requested not to keep the carriers waiting at the door , since , as will be readily understood , the delivery of so much coin to so many millions of people is not an easy task . It is suggested that barrels of attested capacity be left on the walk , so that the coin may be placed into these without unnecessary delay . Those who still retain the old-fashioned coal-chutes can have the gold dumped into their cellars direct if they will simply have the covers to the coal-holes removed . ''