six o'clock
After this he would retire once more to his pantry , this time to make ready for some special function to follow ; for every evening at the Horn mansion had its separate festivity . On Mondays small whist-tables that unfolded or let down or evolved from half-moons into circles , their tops covered with green cloth , were pulled out or moved around so as to form the centres of cosey groups . Some extra sticks of hickory would be brought in and piled on the andirons , and the huge library-table , always covered with the magazines of the day -- Littell 's , Westminster , Blackwood 's , and the Scientific Review , would be pushed back against the wall to make room . On Wednesdays there would be a dinner at six o'clock , served without pretence or culinary assistance from the pastry-cook outside -- even the ices were prepared at home . To these dinners any distinguished strangers who were passing through the city were sure to be invited . Malachi in his time had served many famous men -- Charles Dickens , Ole Bull , Macready , and once the great Mr. Thackeray himself with a second glass of `` that pale sherry , if you please , '' and at the great man 's request , too . An appreciation which , in the case of Mr. Thackeray , had helped to mollify Malachi 's righteous wrath over the immortal novelist 's ignorance of Southern dishes : `` Dat fat gemman wid de gold specs dat dey do say is so mighty great , ai n't eat nuffin yet but soup an ' a li'l mite o ' ` tater , '' he said to Aunt Hannah on one of his trips to the kitchen as dinner went on .