232 SPENCER FULLERTON BAIRD 



in the evening. In those days a young student of science 

 was a doubtful character in the minds of many good 

 people, was suspected of designs on religion and, unless 

 he attended church regularly, of unknown but dreadful 

 tendencies to dissipation. Rumors spread, and multiplied 

 as they spread, of awful doings in the Megatherium Club. 

 Well-meaning neighbors carried the tales to the Baird 

 household. Miss Lucy, despite her youth, assumed, like 

 her mother, a maternal attitude toward these young 

 gentlemen whom she knew so well, and took occasion to 

 inform them of the reports, doubtless with a gentle 

 intimation that the reputation of the Smithsonian coterie 

 was in danger. At a later meeting of the club it was 

 decided to sacrifice their refreshments to the general 

 good. 



The next morning early, Kennicott appeared at the 

 Baird home with a basket of live hens. Miss Lucy, 

 responding to the call, was told that the birds were a 

 present to her from the club. Very naturally she enquired 

 why she should be the recipient. Kennicott explained 

 that the hens laid eggs, that without eggs there could 

 be no egg nog, and that from a fear lest the good resolution 

 of the club should weaken, and in view of her warning, 

 it had been voted to give the hens away, and she had been 

 selected as the most suitable person to receive them. 



With the outbreak of war in 1861 great changes took 

 place in Washington, socially as well as politically. The 

 native Washington set, mostly sympathizing with the 

 South, largely withdrew themselves from the few social 

 functions available. The uncertainties of the conflict 

 tended to restrict festivities of any kind, and the shrinkage 

 of its income due to depreciation of the currency had a 

 marked effect on the activities of the Smithsonian. Some 



