1883.] NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 261 



About two years after the death of his mother, his father 

 married again, and when the father died in 1835, his widow con- 

 tinued to carry on the bookbinding, and Charles became a partner 

 and assumed the management of the business, subsequently 

 conducting the woik on his own account. 



As a business man he was extremely conscientious in having 

 his work performed at the exact time that had been agreed upon ; 

 and he attained an enviable reputation as a neat workman — to 

 such an extent, that services in his business which required the 

 utmost care and nicety were sure to be sent to him to be per- 

 formed, and he would not undertake any kind of work that was 

 expected to be done in a cheap or hurried manner. Having the 

 oversight and employment of others for many years, his just 

 treatment of them always gave him the choice of the best work- 

 men, and those who were satisfactory- remained year after year 

 in his employ. 



During the earlier part of his life he did not manifest any 

 especial interest in natural histor}" ; j'et for a long time he was a 

 companion of C. S. Rafinesque, the well-known naturalist, who 

 boarded in the same house. This was during the latter part of 

 the life of Rafinesque, when he was engaged in the manufacture 

 of medicines, which he contended were for the relief of " all the 

 ills that flesh is heir to." The writer has repeatedly heard 

 narrated some of the incidents in the life of this naturalist which 

 occurred during those years, and which seemed to have made a 

 lasting impression on the mind of our friend C. F. Parker ; so 

 much so that I am led to believe the love for natural science, 

 which developed in the later years of his life, was from some of 

 the seed then sown. One of these incidents, so characteristic of 

 the eccentric Rafinesque, may be mentioned here : Charles was 

 quite fond of remaining in bed at a later hour in the morning 

 than usual when he was not expected to be at his place of busi- 

 ness, and often entertained himself by singing some favorite 

 tufte; on one such occasion Rafinesque heard the usual melodious 

 sounds, and went to the room door, which he quickly opened, 



exclaiming, 



" He who sings in bed instead of sleeping, 

 And whistles at the table instead of eating, 

 Is either crazy or soon will be." 



Having thus relieved his mind, he went away to his own quiet 



