From 8-year old Hilda’s diary:

It was nice having electricity last night. Even Grandfather said that it was easier to read his paper with the brighter lights but I missed Ito coming into the parlor with his long wax taper and lighting the gas chandeliers one at a time. It always looked so pretty having the candles glow one by one. Grandmother says that it is nice to have electric lights as all her friends have it, and she says that electricity is progress. That now, we have no wars and hardly any poor people, at least she says she doesn’t see any poor people so that now we are in a world of progress and peace. Grandfather said, “My God Sara.” He kept his mouth open to say more but then he didn’t.