Weston perusing the county paper, at times reading aloud a bit of
especially interesting news to his wife who was busily at work upon an
apron for little Prue. In the centre of the table stood a large lamp, a
monument to the enterprise of Silas Barnes, the village storekeeper.

"You folks don't want ter go pokin' raound with taller candles when ye kin
git er lamp that gives light like all fireation, do ye?" he had said.

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.

Often her lashes would lie for an instant upon her cheek, when immediately
she would open her eyes very wide, and look furtively about to see if her
drowsiness were detected.

"And they lived happily ever after," read Randy.

"And they lived--happily--ever--after," drawled Prue, as if in proof that
she were indeed awake.

"Why Prue," cried Randy, "you're half asleep."

"I'm not," Prue answered, "I heard what you read. You said 'and they lived
happy ever after.' Now I'm wide awake, else how did I hear?"

After Prue was safely tucked in bed, Randy returned to the cheerful room
below and unfolded her plan for spending her prize money.

Mrs. Weston put aside her sewing to listen, and Mr. Weston laying h