midnight
The boys knew his attitude on the woman question , and it was a tribute to the regard in which they held him that , in his hearing at least , they were decent . Meantime , John Madison was educating himself . There was no limit to his ambition . With the one idea of studying law and going into politics , he attended night schools and lectures and burned the midnight oil devouring good books . He sent to an enterprising journal of Denver a vividly written account of his exploit with the train robbers . With the newspaper 's cheque came an offer to join its staff . That was how John Madison became a reporter , and incidentally explained why , on this particular evening , he happened to be in New York .