noon
The church cared nothing about creeds or methods -- applied no gauge but results ; the best result was a diffusion of human kindness . The salary was twenty-five hundred a year , with one week vacation at Christmas and one month at midsummer . He , John Hopkins , as President of the Board of Deacons , was empowered to select a man , and now made formal offer of the post to the Rev. James Hartigan . Mr. Hartigan might have a week to decide ; but Mr. Hopkins would greatly prefer it if Mr. Hartigan could decide before noon that day when Mr. Hopkins was leaving town . Until stage time he could be found at the Temperance House . He rose quickly to go . Belle asked if he would , at his convenience , put the offer in writing , so that they might be clear as to details , indicating whether it was understood to be by the year and permanent , or for a time on approbation .