'This provides the current value associated with a given key.
:param str key: config setting to be fetched
:param object default: value provided if no such key exists
:param bool multiple: provides back a list of all values if **True**,
otherwise this returns the last loaded configuration value
:returns: **str** or **list** of string configuration values associated
with the given key, providing the default if no such key exists'

def get_value(self, key, default=None, multiple=False):

    with self._contents_lock:
        if (key in self._contents):
            self._requested_keys.add(key)
            if multiple:
                return self._contents[key]
            else:
                return self._contents[key][(-1)]
        else:
            message_id = ('stem.util.conf.missing_config_key_%s' % key)
            log.log_once(message_id, log.TRACE, ("config    entry    '%s'    not    found,    defaulting    to    '%s'" % (key, default)))
            return default
