three minutes to four
Caxton , since his acquaintance with Colonel French , had learned something more about the value of half an hour than he had ever before appreciated , and here was an opportunity to test his knowledge . He literally ran the quarter of a mile that lay between the colonel 's residence and the court house , to the open-eyed astonishment of those whom he passed , some of whom wondered whether he were crazy , and others whether he had committed a crime . He dashed into the clerk 's office , seized a pen , and the first piece of paper handy , and began to write a petition . The clerk had stepped into the hall , and when he came leisurely in at three minutes to four , Caxton discovered that he had written his petition on the back of a blank marriage license . He folded it , ran his pen through the printed matter , endorsed it , `` Estate of Treadwell _ vs. _ Fetters , '' signed it with the name of Ellen Treadwell , as executrix , by himself as her attorney , swore to it before the clerk , and handed it to that official , who raised his eyebrows as soon as he saw the endorsement . `` Now , Mr. Munroe , '' said Caxton , `` if you 'll enter that on the docket , now , as of to-day , I 'll be obliged to you . I 'd rather have the transaction all finished up while I wait .