seven o'clock
He went to the waiter , who recognised him . `` There 's a bit on a picture up yonder , as one o ' the gentlemen threw away ; I 've a little lad at home as dearly loves a picture ; by your leave I 'll go up for it . '' The waiter , good-natured and sympathetic , accompanied him up-stairs ; saw the paper picked up and untwisted , and then being convinced , by a hasty glance at its contents , that it was only what the man had called it , `` a bit of a picture , '' he allowed him to bear away his prize . Towards seven o'clock that evening many operatives began to assemble in a room in the Weavers ' Arms public-house , a room appropriated for `` festive occasions , '' as the landlord , in his circular , on opening the premises , had described it . But , alas ! it was on no festive occasion that they met there on this night . Starved , irritated , despairing men , they were assembling to hear the answer that morning given by the masters to their delegates ; after which , as was stated in the notice , a gentleman from London would have the honour of addressing the meeting on the present state of affairs between the employers and the employed , or -LRB- as he chose to term them -RRB- the idle and the industrious classes .