five o'clock in the morning
Even though the matter were on the knees of the gods , Euphrasia would have taken it thence , if she could . Nor did Austen know that she shared with him , that night , his waking hours . The next morning Mr. Thomas Gaylord , the younger , was making his way towards the office of the Gaylord Lumber Company , conveniently situated on Willow Street , near the railroad . Young Tom was in a particularly jovial frame of mind , despite the fact that he had arrived in Ripton , on the night express , as early as five o'clock in the morning . He had been touring the State ostensibly on lumber business , but young Tom had a large and varied personal as well as commercial acquaintance , and he had the inestimable happiness of being regarded as an honest man , while his rough and genial qualities made him beloved . For these reasons and others of a more material nature , suggestions from Mr. Thomas Gaylord were apt to be well received -- and Tom had been making suggestions . Early as he was at his office -- the office-boy was sprinkling the floor -- young Tom had a visitor who was earlier still .