7 o'clock, Christmas Eve
But when it came to eighty presents , and a company of eighty of the unwashed and unticketed , it became quite a different thing . For now Alice began to fear that there would not be children enough in the highways and by-ways . So she started herself , as evening drew on , with George , the old faithful black major-domo , and she walked through the worst streets she knew anything of , of all those near the chapel ; and , whenever she saw a brat particularly dirty , or a group of brats particularly forlorn , she sailed up gallantly , and , though she was frightened to death , she invited them to the tree . She gave little admittance cards , that said , `` 7 o'clock , Christmas Eve , 507 Livingstone Avenue , '' for fear the children would not remember . And she told Mr. Flagg that he and Mr. Gilmore might take some cards and walk out toward Williamsburg , and do the same thing , only they were to be sure that they asked the dirtiest and most forlorn children they saw . There was a friendly policeman with whom Alice had been brought into communication by the boys in her father 's office , and he also was permitted to give notice of the tree . But he was also to be at the street door , armed with the strong arm of `` The People of New York , '' and when the full quota of eighty had been admitted he was to admit no more .