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 The Seven Fathers in the House. 109 blowing in to the fire. " Good evening, father ; can I get lodgings here to-night ? " asked the traveller. "I am not the father in the house," said the old man ; " but go in and speak to my father ; he is sitting by the table in the parlour." So the traveller went into the parlour and spoke to him who was sitting by the table ; he was much older than the other two, and he sat there with chattering teeth, shaking, and read ing in a big book, al most like a little child. " Good evening, father ; can you give me lodg ings here to-night ?"said the man. "I am not the father in the house ; but speak to my father over there, he who sits on the bench," said the man who was sitting at the table with chatter ing teeth, and shaking and shivering. So the traveller went to him who was sitting on the bench ; he was getting a pipe of tobacco ready; but he was so bent with age, and his hands shook so much, that he was scarcely able to hold the pipe. " Good evening, father," said the traveller again ; " can I get lodgings here to-night ? " — " lam not the father in the house," said the old, bent-up man ; " but speak to my father, who is in the bed over yonder. " The traveller went to the bed, and there lay an old, old man, and the only thing about him that seemed to be alive