Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1858-09-02

In one of the New England States I
know lad, now about twelve or thirteen
years of age, whose condition is remark
able demonstration of the natural law
that, in every case, the child is very faith
full copy of his parents. ....
The boy is . natural drunkard. From
his birth day to the present moment he
has given all the outward indications of
being nearly drunk; and yet, SO far as l
know or think it probable, he has never
swallowed drop Of ardent spirits in his
life. Though in good sound health he has
never been able to walk without stagger-
ing. His head is always upon his breast !;
ard his speech is Of that peculiar charac-
ter which marks persons in very low
stage Of intoxication. If, nevertheless, in
the midst Of his mutterings and reelings,
something is said to him in way to pass
through the thick atmosphere of his intel
lectual being, and penetrate his mind, he
at once rouses, like common tippler, and
gives proof enough that he is not wanting
in native talents, however his mental
faculties are enshrouded. His disposition,
also, seems to be extremely amiable. He
is kind to every one around him, and, I
may add, he is not only pitied for his
misfortune, but in spite of his lamentable
condition, regarded with no uncommon
interest. He is looked upon as a star Of
no mean magnitude, obscured and almost
blotted out by the mist in which he is
doomed to dwell, till he shall pass from
the present state of existence to another.
Now, as I understand the law of hered
itary descent, there is nothing unnatural
in this boys case. Every individual ever
born is governed by the same principle,
which caused them to be what he is. Prior
to marriage his father had been a secret
but confirmed inebriate and when the
fact became known to the gentle and
sweetspirited being, who, but a few
months before, had become his wife, the
revolution was made suddenly, and in a
way the most impressive and appalling.
One night, when he was supposed to be
the most unimpeachable of husbands, he
staggered home, and fell down on the
floor in a state of wretched inebration.-
For weeks he wallowed in misery Dur
ing the next six or seven months, seeing
! that his domestic reputation had been for.
ielted. he kept up almost continual
scene OF lntox,cation. When at the end
Of this period, he was told that he was
'husband of mother" he reeled and
staggered on without abatement. Months
passed away, but there occurred no change
in the habits Of the poor inebriate. 1t
was at once discovered. however, that
there was something singular in the ap.
pearance of the child. When it was three
months old, there began to be some
strange speculations respecting it among
the people. At the age of six months,
these speculations had settled down to e
general opinion, but not word was said
to the disconsolate woma,;' who had also
begun to have her own forebodings. AT
last, as she was one evening looking upon
her child, and wondering what could be
the reason of its strange conduct, the
terrible idea flashed upon her soul-"My
child is a natural drunkard!' She
shrieked aloud, and her husband, who
happened to be within hearing. came to
her. She fell upon his neck, aud exclaim.
ed--"Dear husband, our little George is
born f." She could proceed no far
ther, but swooned away in her husband 5
arms.
From that hour the father of the boy
never tasted drop of spirits. The sight
of his eyes and the heavings of his heart
entirely cured him of this habit. He sell
dom looks rpon his unfortunate little
George without shedding a tear over tha,
sin which entailed upon him life Of OBJ
security and wretcbsdness. He has lived,
| rejoice to add. so as to redeem his char
acter and he is now the father of five
children, all Of whom are bright and beau
tiful, and lovely. excepting only the one
whose destiny was thus blasted.
This principle of inheri,ing traits and
characteristics, however, is susceptible Of
an indefnate number Of illustrations. Il
has become q proverb, and it is sustained
by all history and observation, that the
offspring of libidinous connections are
uniformly marked by a strong tendency
to improper passions, while the subsequent
sons and daughters of the same parentage,
where thorough repentance has taken
place, are in general virtuous.
-.>>>--
sey- The New York Erening Post says
that Mayor Tiemann is about to make an
onslaught upon number Of persons con-
.emplating matrimony, on the ground that
marriage is only lottery"
nM. When Jack Jones discovered that
he had polished his bed-mate's boots in
stead of his own, he called it an aggrava-
ted instance Of "laboring, and confound-
edly hard too, under mistake
Solomon, fear you are forgetting me-
said a bright eyed girl to her lover the 9th.
er day.
"Yes, Sue said Sol excusing himself.