a quarter to ten
Her father laughed heartily at her manner of telling the story , but Mrs. Weston said , `` What on airth does the child mean ? '' while Randy decided to read the stories to herself , thereafter , and amuse Prue in another way . `` Come , Randy , come ! It wants a quarter to ten , an ' you 'd better hurry . '' `` Yes , mother , I 'm coming , '' said Randy , pleasantly , and with redoubled energy she reached for the middle button of her dress waist , which was fastened at the back . This button was just too high for her left hand to reach up to , and almost too low for her right hand to reach down to , but at last she succeeded in crowding the refractory little button into its buttonhole , and , flushed with the struggle , she stood before the tiny looking-glass brushing a stray curling lock from her temple . The glass was a poor one , and Randy 's reflection appeared to be making a most unpleasant grimace at the real girl standing there .