idst of his retainers and a host of
invited guests, whom he had fetched in a dozen carriages from the
station at Harburg, supported by his distinguished young pupils.

The spokesman of the Verein, a man of some fifty years of age, with a
grizzled beard, addressed the proprietor in a glowing speech, in which,
among other things, he assured him--the man of thirty-seven--that "We
all look upon you as our father, and honor and love you as if we were
your children." Paul smiled, and returned thanks in a few warm words,
then renewed "Hochs!" more waving of banners and firing of cannon, and
the procession set itself in motion again.

At the entrance to Kaiser Wilhelm's Dorf there ensued a second and more
elaborate welcome. Here too there was a triumphal arch and cannons, and
instead of one there were three Vereins with flags and banners, also
the schoolchildren, headed by the pastor and the schoolmaster, and the
whole female portion of the community lining the roadway on either
side, or massed round the base of the arch. The pastor made a speech, a
fair-haired schoolgirl recited a long piece of poetry composed by the
master in the sweat of his brow, the Choral Verein sang, the Young
Men's Verein--who were given to instrumental music--piped and blew a
chorale, and not till the all-prevading joy and enthusiasm had found
sufficient vent in the firing of cannon, in speeches, poetry, and
music, did the carriages move on, and finally reach the steps of
Friesenmoor House, where the guests were received by Frau von Haber,
assisted by Frau Brohl and Frau Marker. At the moment of leaving the
carriages three flags were run up the flagstaff on the tower--the
black, white, and red flag of the empire, then the white and black
Prussian one, and finally a green, white, and red banner with a large
coat-of-arms in the center. This third flag, somewhat enigmatical to
the guests, was the new family banner of the House of von Haber, with
the coat-of-arms of that noble race, now displayed for the first time
to the admiring gaze of the beholders.

The designing of a coat-of-arms had been no light task to Paul. From
the moment--now five months ago--that he knew his promotion to the
nobility was a settled affair, he had devoted the best part of his
thoughts to this weighty question. He hesitated long between medieval
simplicity and modern symbolism. An illustrative crest that should be a
play upon his name was out of the question; for of course it w