the house
decreased.

Frederick was in his ninth year. It was about the Feast of the Three
Kings, a raw and stormy winter night. Herman had gone to a wedding, and
had started out early because the bride's house was three miles away.
Although he had promised to return in the evening, Mistress Mergel
hardly counted on it because a heavy snowfall had set in after sunset.
About ten o'clock she banked the fire and made ready to go to bed.
Frederick stood beside her, already half undressed, and listened, to the
howling of the wind and the rattling of the garret windows.

"Mother, isn't father coming home tonight?" he asked.

"No, child; tomorrow."

"But why not, mother? He promised to."

"Oh, God, if he only kept every promise he makes!--Hurry now, hurry and
get ready."

They had hardly gone to bed when a gale started to rage as though it
would carry the house along with it. The bed-stead quivered, and the
chimney-stack rattled as if there were goblins in it.

"Mother, some one's knocking outside!"

"Quiet, Fritzy; that's the loose board on the gable being shaken by the
wind."

"No; mother, it's at the door."

"It does not lock; the latch is broken. Heavens, go to sleep! Don't
deprive me of my bit of rest at night!"

"But what if father should come now!"

His mother turned angrily in her bed. "The devil holds him tight
enough!"

"Where is the devil, mother?

"Wait, you restless boy! He's standing at the door, ready to get you if
you don't keep quiet!"

Frederick became quiet. A little while longer he listened, and then fell
asleep. A few hours later he awoke. The wind had changed, and hissed
like a snake through the cracks in the window near his ear. His shoulder
was stiff; he crept clear under his quilt and lay still and trembling
with fear. After a while he noticed that his mother was not asleep
either. He heard her weep and moan between sobs: "Hail, Mary!" and "Pray
for us poor sinners!" The beads of the rosary slid by his face. An
involuntary sigh escaped him. "Frederick, are you awake?

"Yes, mother."

"Child, pray a little--you know half of the Paternoster already, don't
you?-that God protect us from flood and fire."

Frederick thought of the devil, and wondered how he looked, anyway. The
confused noise and rumbling in the house seemed strange to him. He
thought there must be something alive within and without. "Listen,
mother! I am sure I hear people knocking."

"Oh, no, child; but there's no