Billy!’protestedAuntHannah；then，alittleseverely，shedemanded：AndwhowasitthatjustlastSeptemberwascallingthissameonly-object-in-the-worldathirdpersoninyourhome？’
Thirdperson，indeed!AuntHannah，didI？
DidIreallysaysuchadreadfulthingasthat？
ButIdidn’tknow，then，ofcourse。Icouldn’tknowhowperfectlywonderfulababyis，especiallysuchababyasBertram，Jr。，is。Why，AuntHannah，thatlittlethingknowsawholelotalready。
He’sknownmeforweeks；Iknowhehas。Andagesandagesagohebegantogivemelittlesmileswhenhesawme。Theyweresmiles——realsmiles!
Oh，yes，Iknownursesaidtheyweren’tsmilesatthefirst，’admittedBilly，inanswertoAuntHannah’sdoubtingexpression。Iknownursesaiditwasonlywindonhisstomach。Thinkofit——
windonhisstomach!JustasifIdidn’tknowthedifferencebetweenmyownbaby’ssmileandwindonhisstomach!Andyoudon’tknowhowsoonhebegantofollowmymovingfingerwithhiseyes!’
Yes，Itriedthatoneday，Iremember，’
observedAuntHannahdemurely。Imovedmyfinger。Helookedattheceiling——_fixedly_。’
Well，probablyhe_wanted_tolookattheceiling，then，’defendedtheyoungmother，promptly。
I’msureIwouldn’tgiveasnapforababyifhedidn’tsometimeshaveamindofhisown，andexerciseit!’
Oh，Billy，Billy，’laughedAuntHannah，withashakeofherheadasBillyturnedaway，chinuptilted。
BythetimeBertram，Jr。，wasthreemonthsold，Billywasunmistakablyheroldhappy，merryself，strongandwell。AffairsattheStrataoncemoreweremovingasbyclockwork——onlythistimeitwasababy’shandthatsettheclock，andthatwoundit，too。
BillytoldherhusbandveryearnestlythatnowtheyhadentereduponaperiodofEnormousResponsibility。TheLife，Character，andDestinyofaHumanSoulwasintrustedtotheircare，andtheymustbeWise，Faithful，andEfficient。TheymustbeatonceProudandHumbleatthistheirGreatOpportunity。TheymustObserve，Learn，andPractice。FirstandforemostintheireyesmustalwaysbethiswonderfulImportantTrust。
BertramlaughedatfirstveryheartilyatBilly’sinstructions，which，hedeclared，weresobristlingwithcapitalsthathecouldfairlyseethemdropfromherlips。Then，whenhefoundhowreallyverymuchinearnestshewas，andhowhurtshewasathislevity，hemanagedtopullhisfaceintosomethinglikesobrietywhileshetalkedtohim，thoughhedidpersistindroppingkissesonhercheeks，herchin，herfinger-tips，herhair，andthelittlepinklobesofherears——justbywayofpunctuation’tohersentences，hesaid。Andhetoldherthathewasn’treallyslightingherlips，onlythattheymovedsofasthecouldnotcatchthem。WhereatBillypouted，andtoldhimseverelythathewasabad，naughtyboy，andthathedidnotdeservetobethefatherofthedearest，mostwonderfulbabyintheworld。
No，IknowIdon’t，’beamedBertram，withcheerfulunrepentance；butIam，justthesame，’
hefinishedtriumphantly。Andthistimehecontrivedtofindhiswife’slips。
Oh，Bertram，’sighedBilly，despairingly。
You’reanolddear，ofcourse，andonejustcan’tbecrosswithyou；butyoudon’t，youjust_don’t_realizeyourImmenseResponsibility。’
Oh，yes，Ido，’maintainedBertramsoseriouslythatevenBillyherselfalmostbelievedhim。
Inspiteofhisassertions，however，itmustbeconfessedthatBertramwasmuchmoreinclinedtoregardthenewmemberofhisfamilyasjusthissonratherthanasanImportantTrust；andthereislittledoubtthathelikedtotosshimintheairandhearhisgleefulcrowsofdelight，withoutanybotherofObservinghimatall。AstotheLifeandCharacterandDestinyintrustedtohiscare，itistobefearedthatBertramjustplaingloriedinhisson，pokedhimintheribs，andchuckledhimunderthechinwheneverhepleased，andgaveneversomuchasathoughttoCharacterandDestiny。Itistobefeared，too，thathewasProudwithoutbeingHumble，andthattheonlyOpportunityhereallyappreciatedwasthechancetoshowoffhiswifeandbabytosomelessfortunatefellow-man。
ButnotsoBilly。BillyjoinedaMothers’ClubandenteredaclassinChildTrainingwithanelaboratesystemofCharts，Rules，andTests。
ShesubscribedtoeachnewMothers’Helper，’
andthelike，thatshecameacross，devouringeachandeveryonewithaneagernessthatwastemperedonlybyavagueuneasinessatfindingsomanydifferencesofopinionamongThoseWhoKnew。
UndeniablyBilly，ifnotBertram，wasindeedrealizingtheEnormousResponsibility，andwaskeepingeverbeforehertheImportantTrust。
InJuneBertramtookacottageattheSouthShore，andbythetimethereallyhotweatherarrivedthefamilywerewellsettled。ItwasonlyanhourawayfromBoston，andeasyofaccess，butWilliamsaidheguessedhewouldnotgo；hewouldstayinBoston，sleepingatthehouse，andgettinghismealsattheclub，untilthemiddleofJuly，whenhewasgoingdowninMaineforhisusualfishingtrip，whichhehadplannedtotakealittleearlierthanusualthisyear。
Butyou’llbesolonesome，UncleWilliam，’
Billydemurred，inthisgreathouseallalone!’
Oh，no，Isha’n’t，’rejoinedUncleWilliam。
Ishallonlybesleepinghere，youknow，’hefinished。withaslightlypeculiarsmile。
Itwaswell，perhaps，thatBillydidnotexactlyrealizethesignificanceofthatsmile，northeunconsciousemphasisonthewordsleeping，’foritwouldhavetroubledhernotalittle。
William，totellthetruth，wasquiteanticipatingthatsleeping。William’snightshadnotbeenexactlyrestfulsincethebabycame。Hisevenings，too，hadnotbeenthepeacefulthingstheywerewonttobe。
SomeofBilly’sRulesandTestswerestrenuouslyobjectedtoonthepartofhersmallson，andtheyoungmandidnothesitatetoshowit。
Billysaidthatitwasgoodforthebabytocry，thatitdevelopedhislungs；butWilliamwasverysurethatitwasnotgoodfor_him_。Certainly，whenthebabydidcry，Williamnevercouldhelphoveringnearthecenterofdisturbance，andhealways_had_toremindBillythatitmightbeapin，youknow，orsomecruelthingthatwashurting。
Asifhe，William，agreatstrongman，couldsitcalmlybyandsmokeapipe，orlieinhiscomfortablebedandsleep，whilethatblessedlittlebabywascryinghisheartoutlikethat!Ofcourse，ifonedidnot_know_hewascrying——HenceWilliam’santicipationofthosequiet，restfulnightswhenhecouldnotknowit。
VerysoonafterBilly’sarrivalatthecottage，AuntHannahandAliceGreggorycamedownforaday’svisit。AuntHannahhadbeenawayfromBostonforseveralweeks，soitwassometimesinceshehadseenthebaby。
My，buthasn’thegrown!’sheexclaimed，pickingthebabyupandstoopingtogivehimasnugglingkiss。Thenextinstantshealmostdroppedthelittlefellow，sostartlinghadbeenBilly’scry。
No，no，wait，AuntHannah，please，’Billywasentreating，hurryingtothelittlecornercupboard。Inamomentshewasbackwithasmallbottleandabitofantisepticcotton。Wealwayssterilizeourlipsnowbeforewekisshim——
it’ssomuchsafer，youknow。’
AuntHannahsatdownlimply，thebabystillinherarms。
Fiddlededee，Billy!Whatanabsurdidea!
Whathaveyougotinthatbottle？’
Why，AuntHannah，it’sjustalittlesimplelisterine，’bridledBilly，anditisn’tabsurdatall。It’sverysensible。My`HygienicGuideforMothers’says——’
Well，IsupposeImaykisshishand，’interposedAuntHannah，justalittlecurtly，withoutsubjectingmyselftoaCityHospitaltreatment!’
Billylaughedshamefacedly，butshestillheldherground。
No，youcan’t——norevenhisfoot。Hemightgettheminhismouth。AuntHannah，whydoesababythinkthateverything，fromhisowntoestohisfather’swatchfobandtheplushballsonacaller’swrist-bag，ismadetoeat？AsifIcouldsterilizeeverything，andkeephimfromgettingholdofgermssomewhere!’
You’llhavetohaveagerm-proofroomforhim，’laughedAliceGreggory，playfullysnappingherfingersatthebabyinAuntHannah’slap。
Billyturnedeagerly。
Oh，didyoureadaboutthat，too？’shecried。Ithoughtitwas_so_interesting，andI
wonderedifIcoulddoit。’
Alicestaredfrankly。
Youdon’tmeantosaytheyactually_have_
suchthings，’shechallenged。
Well，Ireadabouttheminamagazine，’
assertedBilly，——howyoucouldhaveagerm-
proofroom。Theysaiditwasverysimple，too。
Justpasteurizetheair，youknow，byheatingittoonehundredandtenandone-halfdegreesFahrenheitforseventeenandone-halfminutes。I
rememberjustthefigures。’
Simple，indeed!Itsoundsso，’scoffedAuntHannah，withupliftedeyebrows。
Oh，well，Icouldn’tdoit，ofcourse，’admittedBilly，regretfully。Bertramnever’dstandforthatintheworld。He’salwaysrushingintoshowthebabyofftoeveryTom，DickandHarryandhiswifethatcomes；andofcourseifyouopenedthenurserydoor，thatwouldletinthosegermthings，andyou_couldn’t_verywellpasteurizeyourcallersbyheatingthemtoonehundredandtenandone-halfdegreesforseventeenandone-halfminutes!Idon’tseehowyoucouldmanagesucharoom，anyway，unlessyouhadasystemof——
ofroomslikelocks，sameastheydoforwaterincanals。’
Oh，mygriefandconscience——locks，indeed!’almostgroanedAuntHannah。Here，Alice，willyoupleasetakethischild——thatis，ifyouhaveagerm-proofcertificateaboutyoutoshowtohismother。Iwanttotakeoffmybonnetandgloves。’
Takehim？OfcourseI’lltakehim，’laughedAlice；andrightunderhismother’snose，too，’
sheadded，withaplayfulgrimaceatBilly。Andwe’llmakepat-a-cakes，andsendthelittlepigstomarket，andhavesuchabeautifultimethatwe’llforgetthereeverwassuchathingintheworldasanoldgerm。Eh，babykins？’
Babykins’cooedhisunqualifiedapprovalofthisplan；buthismotherlookedtroubled。
That’sallright，Alice。Youmayplaywithhim，’shefrowneddoubtfully；butyoumustn’tdoitlong，youknow——notoverfiveminutes。’
Fiveminutes!Well，Ilikethat，whenI’vecomeallthewayfromBostonpurposelytoseehim，’poutedAlice。What’sthematternow？
Timeforhisnap？’
Oh，no，notfor——thirteenminutes，’repliedBilly，consultingthewatchatherbelt。ButweneverplaywithBabymorethanfiveminutesatatime。My`ScientificCareofInfants’saysitisn’twise；thatwithsomebabiesit’spositivelydangerous，untilafterthey’resixmonthsold。Itmakesthemnervous，andforcestheirmind，youknow，’sheexplainedanxiously。Soofcoursewe’dwanttobecareful。Bertram，Jr。，isn’tquitefour，yet。’
Why，yes，ofcourse，’murmuredAlice，politely，stoppingapat-a-cakebeforeitwashalfbaked。
Theinfant，asifsuspectingthathewasbeingdeprivedofhislawfulbabyrights，begantofretandwhimper。
Poorittysing，’croonedAuntHannah，who，havingdivestedherselfofbonnetandgloves，camehurriedlyforwardwithoutstretchedhands。
Dotheyjust’buse’em？Comeheretoyouroldauntie，sweetems，andwe’llgowalkee。Isawabow-wow——suchatunnin’ickeywickeybow-
wowonthestepswhenIcamein。Come，wegoseeickeywickeybow-wow？’
AuntHannah，_please!_’protestedBilly，bothhandsupraisedinhorror。_Won’t_yousay`dog，’