learn later, had exerted the most powerful influence upon my principal
instructors at Keilhau. She also knew his best enigmas; and the
following one, whose terse brevity is unsurpassed:

"Parted I am sacred,
United abominable"--

she had heard him propound himself. The answer, "Mein eid" (my oath),
and "Meineid" (perjury), every one knows.

Nothing was further from my mother's intention than to make these visits
to the cemetery special memorial days; on the contrary, they were inter-
woven into our lives, not set at regular intervals or on certain dates,
but when her heart prompted and the weather was favourable for out-of-
door excursions. Therefore they became associated in our minds with
happy and sacred memories.




CHAPTER III.

ON FESTAL DAYS

The celebration of a memorial day by outward forms was one of my mother's
customs; for, spite of her sincerity of feeling, she favoured external
ceremonies, and tried when we were very young to awaken a sense of their
meaning in our minds.

On all festal occasions we children were freshly dressed from top to toe,