The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1858-08-26
Inherited PecuIfSrIties-.A SAD
Z deb 'sHoi'an story e aosai atsf''

4
II plai4o att "a ~ g,lie4 yem fer
In one Of the New England States Il know
lad, now about twelve or ,thirteen years OF
age, whose condition iseai most remarkable
.denosfratien ofithe natural lswthat, in every
case, the child Il q very .:faithtal copy OF his
parent has yfwa bsii Isl ee-F Fffq Hsyf,
The boy Is natural drunhard. ? From his
birth to the present msment, he has given oil
outward indications o. being deeply drank;
an9ryet. 50 For as know, orth think i, proba-
Bile, he never swallowed aldrop Of ardent
spirits in his life. Though in good sonnd
health. he has never been able to walk with
ont staggering,. His head isslwsys upon his
breasf and his speech is Sf hat peculiar
character which marks person1in ! very yelow
stsxe of int0xicasion. n. neverthsIess, In the
midst Of his mutterinG and reeling, snnet hing
10 said 10 him IN aspsy to pass through the
atmosphere Of intellectual sbeing. and pen-
trare his mind, ,the al once arorsss, ike COM
mon tippler. and gives proof sneush chat be is
not wanting In native talents, however his
NEST al lsfaculties are snshoudAd. His disposi-
tion, slso. seemsAo be extremely amiables---
He is kiadpto every one arouad hin; aud,
may add, he is not only pitied for his misfcr-
tune, bnt in spite of his lamentabls copdition,
regarded with uncommon interest. He Is
looked upon asa star of no meas magnitude.
cbscnrad and almsst blotted out BY ths mist in
which NJ is 'docmed 10 dwell, tiu shs shall
pass from the''present state Of existence to
another. ~ q ETrsk2 70 ,le@l7o aaI ssi
Now, as under stand the h ~ Of hsretiifary
descent, there iss soothing unnatural in this
boys case. Every individual ever born is
governed BY the'sams principle, which causes
them what.heiis. Prior 10 msuisge, his faith
er had been secret but co6irmed eneArisate;
aed when the fact became know to TIE asntle
and sweet spirited being, Who, but a. few mo-
ments before, had become his wife, the reve-
lation was made suddenly, aad 10 way most
impressive and appalling. One night, when
he was supposed TO be the rnost uaimpeacha-
bic of husbands, he staggered home, broke
thrcughthe door Of his sleeping aparsmen,,
and fell down on sthe floor IN state Of wretch
ed inebriation. ioFor weeks he widowed in
misery. During the next six,s or seven
months, sseing his domestic reputation had
beer forfeited, he kept up aIr1ost a eo&tin,f-
oas scene Of in,cxicatioGs When 1T the end OF
this period. II was told him that he awasi ssthe
husband ot mother,o he res.ied and staggered
without abatement Months passed away
butfhere occarel mo change In tie habts ol
the poor enetiiate. II was at once discovers
lar inthe appearance OF the child. When il
was three months old, there begsn to be- ssome
strange specuiations respecting it smong the
people. Atthe age of six nonths, these spec
alations had settled down iRtola very general
opinion. but not word. wis said to fh. dis.
coisolate woman, who had also begun to have
her own forbolnss. At lasr, as she was cns
evening looking upon her child, and wonder
,ng what could be the reason of its stra ng.
conduct, the terrible idea A ,shed upon hel
so,sl--.My child is a natural drunkardl" She
| shneked aloud; aad her husband, who hap.
pened to be within hearing, came to herr
She feli upon his neck, and exclaimed, Dear
husband, our lisile George is bscn ap----. Sht
could proceed no further, bat swoonsds AVA
in her husbands arms, ,1s,I, snT
FIom that hour the father OF the bow neve,
tasted 2. drop Of spirits The sight Of hi
eyes and the heAvings Of his heart intirslJ
cured him Of his habit. He seldom looks UP
on bis unfortunate little George without shed
ding tear over that s,p which ,eqtsiled npos
him q life Of obscprity and oe wretche daess
Ne has lived, I rejplce to add, 80 a. 70 redeem
his 81 arscter; and be is now, the father Of fvs
children. all whom are bright, and beautitpl
and lovely, except only the one whose destiny
was thus blasted. ia ,..,.. .,,,,,, ,,..
This principle Of inheriIing traits, spd char.
scristics }, however, is susceptible Of an indef
Iits number Of illastrations. Il has become !.
proverb, and it is sustained BY all history anf
observation. that the offspring Of libiAipou.
connections are uniformly marked By, a strong
tendency to improper passions, Will. the sub
seqient sons and daughters o. the same paren.
|tage, where through repsntsncs has taken
place, are ingensral viFtaoas. hasi 81 s7s4y
|eiV9s Qfrr---c ~ r----- -. sibosyF Is
Iowa History f@sg bas
The f1llowing facts we've stated by the Rev
a.