ISO SPENCER FULLERTON BAIRD 



to take down the morning letters, and several people 

 were waiting to see him on business. I undertook to 

 find what had become of him, having a shrewd suspicion 

 as to his occupation; and, sure enough, I found him seated 

 in a room upstairs with the new number of St. Nicholas 

 which had come in that morning. He was taking a slight 

 peep, 'only skimming' the pages .of the latest installment 

 of the little nobleman's history. He even went so far 

 as to persuade Dr. Burnett one day at the Cosmos Club 

 to tell him, in strict confidence, how it ended, because he 

 really could not wait until the end! Dr. Burnett, finding 

 how interested he was, said he would tell him if he would 

 promise not to divulge the momentous secret, and to this 

 the Professor joyously pledging himself they sought a 

 retired corner of the room where the eager listener heard 

 the conclusion of the tale. His sympathy with children 

 was unfailing. On one occasion, when we were away in 

 summer there was to be an excursion on the Fish Commis- 

 sion steamer ' Fish Hawk ' in order that some distinguished 

 scientific visitor might see the dredging, and quite a 

 number of our summer party were to accompany it. A 

 little boy of about eight years old, the nephew of one of 

 the scientific gentlemen attached to the Fish Commission, 

 was told that he might go if he wished. He was not quite 

 sure that it would prove amusing, and asked who were 

 going. Various names were mentioned, including my 

 father's (he being, of course, the host), and as soon as 

 the child heard this, he said, 'Oh, if Professor Baird is 

 going, I'll go, for then there will be somebody who will 

 talk to me!' " 



Mary Helen Churchill, Prof. Baird's bride, was a well 

 educated, highly intelligent, and tactful young woman. 

 For the period she was exceedingly well read, and she 



