nine o'clock in the morning
The most tyrannical husband immediately abrogates his authority when he sees the symptoms of this frenzy developing in her . He takes to his heels and remains away until she puts things in order and returns to her senses . This is the proof of a queer ineradicable cowardice in every man , that the bravest and hardiest of them who does not shrink from marching barefooted through winter snows to meet the enemy in overwhelming numbers will fly before the face of one woman who has made up her mind to wet his feet with scouring water if he does not get out of the way . Before nine o'clock in the morning the domestic entrails of Jordan County were out of doors , piled in the sun , hanging upon the clotheslines , flapping in the wind . The swish of wet brooms could be heard in every house , mingled with the sharp voices of scolding women . The air was filled with clouds of dust , the sound of sticks in muffled strokes upon rugs and carpets like the drums of an invading army . These were answered by the strumming of other sticks similarly employed in other farmyards .