54 
THE MUSEUM. 
Edwin and Henry, volunteered their services for the orchestra, the former being a 
good singer and clever performer on the flute, violin and piano. His conception of 
character (especially his costume and representation of the “ Spanish Hero ”) was far 
above that of the ordinary country play actor. He was practically the critic of the 
association, and did much to improve it. On one occasion he and Mr. Rathvon were 
to sing, “ O, Cruel were my Parents,” as an interlude between the plays, he repre¬ 
senting “ Billy,” and the latter “ singing at his elbow through all the streets in town.” 
Through the impatience of one or two who had parts in the “ after-piece,” the musical 
duet was “cut out ” and a general row took place in the green-room. Every one 
appeared to be angry, from the president (the late Judge Libhart) down to the 
“supes,” but there stood young Haldeman, with fiddle in hand, a flesh-colored patch 
over one eye and a leg fixed at the knee in a crotch, surveying the scene with the 
utmost blandness, and now and then indulging in one of his most characteristic 
chuckles, regarding the whole as a magnificent piece of comedy, and thinking that if 
the audience could witness it they would willingly pay an extra shilling. His self- 
possession and witticisms proved “ oil on the troubled waters,” and a calm soon fol¬ 
lowed, succeeded by unrestrained hilarity. 
Owing to his intellectual progressiveness, this association soon “ outlived his 
liking,” and, mainly through his efforts, was transformed into a lyceum. A collection 
of minerals, fossils, etc., was gathered together and a library formed. Before this 
society the Professor subsequently delivered lectures on various subjects, and through 
his influence and example the study of mineralogy became popular with the young 
men of the town. 
In 1835 he married Miss Mary Hough, of Bainbridge, Pa., a most estimable lady, 
and it was much through her domestic administration of the household that he found 
so much time to devote to scientific pursuits. 
“ During the summer of 1841,” writes Mr. Rathvon, “no matter how or why, I 
had made a small collection of insects that I captured on the premises which I then 
occupied, including a large, horned, black beetle, which I obtained elsewhere. 
These, without knowing the names of any of them, I had impaled,, with the beetle in 
the centre, and hung up in my place of business. A short time afterward Prof. Halde¬ 
man came in, as. he always did when he came to Marietta, and his quick eye imme¬ 
diately detected them. With much animation he remarked, ‘ Ah, I see you have a 
fine specimen of Xyloryctes saiyrus, and that’s Harpalus pennsylvanicus , and that’s 
Macrodactylus subspinosus ,’ etc., etc., names that covered me with confusion, and I 
almost wished I had let the animals alone. But he encouraged me to proceed, and 
invited me down to see the Hentz collection of Coleoptera , which he had previously 
received from Alabama. He presented me with a pack or two of insect pins, gave 
me instructions in collecting, exhibited and explained his various implements, made 
suggestions in regard to a cabinet, and ended by loading me down with elementary 
and other books, some of which were loaned and others unconditionally donated. I 
never gave him a specimen that he did not return tenfold. 
