chapter III 



M, 



.Y LIFE in Washington as Riley's first assistant from 1881 

 to 1894 was not so very different from that of many hundreds 

 of other government employees. The scientific aspects of the life 

 have been touched upon in a previous chapter. As to the other 

 aspects, down to the time of my marriage in 1886, something 

 really ought to be said. At first there were no scientific societies 

 except the old Philosophical Society, but that soon began to split, 

 and the Biological, the Anthropological, the Chemical, the En- 

 tomological, and other societies in increasing number, were 

 formed. The Philosophical Society was not especially interesting 

 to a very young man, and conditions in the office, as described 

 in the previous chapter, were decidedly not such as would compel 

 my serious absorption. 



The old high bicycle had made its appearance upon the streets, 

 and it fascinated a lot of us. The Capitol Bicycle Club was 

 founded. Many college-bred men had come to Washington, 

 attracted by the short working hours (nine o'clock until four) 

 and the comparatively good salaries. By making use of the ad- 

 mirable night schools, they expected to get their professional edu- 

 cations in law or medicine without expense to their families. 

 Many of the fine young men who did this afterwards became 



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