seven o'clock in the evening
Smiles and laughter are easily evoked in a village grocery . Mr. Obadiah Strout and Mr. Hiram Maxwell , general partners , were in the private office , a small room adjoining the post-office . Mr. Strout was smoking a cigar and reading a letter between the puffs . Hiram , with his chair tilted back against the wall , was smoking his after-supper pipe , for it was after seven o'clock in the evening . `` Mr. Maxwell , '' said Obadiah , laying down the letter he had been reading , `` this is from the trustees of the estate of the Honourable Quincy Adams Sawyer , formerly our special partner , and the ex-Governor of this Commonwealth . I mention the fact of him being our former special partner first , before I said anything about his political elevation , for I do n't believe , Mr. Maxwell , that he would ever have been Governor if he had n't jined in with us . '' Mr. Strout always called Hiram `` Mr. Maxwell , '' when they talked over business affairs .