150 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 
