And those farmers who could afford the luxury invested in a lamp at once.
Others, whose purses were too lean for such expenditure, affected to
prefer candles, declaring the lamplight to be too glaring for their taste.

Just where the light shone through the outline of her rippling hair sat
Randy, reading aloud to Prue, who stood beside her at the table,
insisting upon seeing each picture as Randy turned the page.

As she finished reading the story, Randy turned, and slipping her arm
about Prue drew her closer, while the little sister, giving a contented
little sigh exclaimed,

"That's the best story of all, Randy, read it again."

"Why, Prue, you've just heard it twice," said Randy, "you don't want to
hear it again to-night!"

"Oh, yes, I do!" cried Prue. "I'd like to hear it all over again from the
beginning, 'Once upon a time.' 'F I hear it this once more it'll seem
'bout true."

"I should think 'twould seem threadbare," said her father, with ill
suppressed amusement.

"No, no!" cried Prue, "'tain't freadbare, it's fine, the finest in the
book. Do read it, Randy, and then I'll be willing to go to bed."

So Randy began once more the story which had so charmed the little sister,
and very patiently she read it, while Prue, who was really sleepy, made
heroic efforts to keep her eyes open.