eleven o'clock
Public sentiment in Edgewood was swayed by the Dorcas Society , but Mrs. Burbank swayed the Dorcases themselves as the wind sways the wheat . The old Meeting House wore an animated aspect when the eventful Friday came , a cold , brilliant , sparkling December day , with good sleighing , and with energy in every breath that swept over the dazzling snowfields . The sexton had built a fire in the furnace on the way to his morning work -- a fire so economically contrived that it would last exactly the four or five necessary hours , and not a second more . At eleven o'clock all the pillars of the society had assembled , having finished their own household work and laid out on their respective kitchen tables comfortable luncheons for the men of the family , if they were fortunate enough to number any among their luxuries . Water was heated upon oil-stoves set about here and there , and there was a brave array of scrubbing-brushes , cloths , soap , and even sand and soda , for it had been decided and manifested-by-the-usual-sign-and-no-contrary-minded-and-it-was-a-vote that the dirt was to come off , whether the paint came with it or not . Each of the fifteen women present selected a block of seats , preferably one in which her own was situated , and all fell busily to work . `` There is nobody here to clean the right-wing pews , '' said Nancy Wentworth , `` so I will take those for my share . ''