The Russellville Democrat. [volume] (Russellville, Ark.) 1875-1898, 1886-08-18
Heredity Illustrated.--No 1.
BY a MEDICAL STUDENT.

There was an arriva, in our village,
a lady physician. q sweet faced, res
olute little woman. 1t needed no
second glance to reveal the fact that
hidden in the deep recesses of her
life was sorrowful experience. How
otherwise could we explain the pa
tient lines in her face; the hair in
which silver threads appeared al
ready, although not more than thir-
ty; the eye into whose sorrowful
depths no other eye could pierce,
and the quick sympathy
For years she staid with us, win
ming her way quietly and defying
the gossips to learn her history.
Sometimes she went away, no one
knew where, for few days.
After she had been with US nine or
ten years she disappeared in the
same silent manner and returned
clad in mourning, and yet she seem
ed after that like one from whose
life shadow had been partially lift
ed.
| could not understand 1t until one
day out Of the fulness Of her heart
she told me her history. She has
now gone TO her rest and / will give
her story as nearly in her own words
as possible.
I'VE had such happy home once
father, mother, brother and my
SELF Books, pictures and music all
we cared for. Not cloud dimmed
the sunshine of our happy lives until
my brother, who was all in all to me
and model for the neighborhood,
had reached mans estate. Then
the shadow came heavy and black,
at first, fitful and uncertain, but at
length settling down and brooding
over our lives, a shadow which could
never be lifted My brother was in
sane. What had caused it? Why
should this terrible affection come
upon the sheltered life of one so no.
BILE and so upright The physicians
queried among themselves and then
began to ask us questions. Back,
back three generations they went
until they found drinking forefa
Their, who beqneathed a legacy to his
defendants which we of modern
times have learned to expect.
sin one line we found paralysis
and ST. Vitus' Dance running down
three generations; in another, merry
Gus dyspepsia, idiocy, insanity and
a tendency to nervous prostration,
for the same length of time. In an
other deformity aud Vicious tenden
cies, and in our line insomnia com
ing straight down and ending in
this, the third generation, In insani
ty.
Better and then worse, my brother
would come home to gladden. our
hearts for little, and theu 60 back
to rave a mailman in his cell. Oh, it
was terrible to see and bear him, my
innocent brother, the victim of an
Others sin. Inever could laugh but
his shrek rang in my ear and fan
cled him suffering all the t0rments
of the lost, and bis face was always
coming between me and the beauti-
full.
When at last they pronounced his
case hopeless, poor mother broke
down utterly, and we laid her away
to rest. Ere long my father follow
ed, and / was left alone, with the
knowledge that must always be SO,
for the fatal heritage rests upon me
also and know not how soon it may
fall or how certainly be transmitted.
The property left j jealously
guarded for my brother, not even
taking my share. Through my own
efforts / obtained my education for
a physician and won my way into
practice. Every year | journeyed
hundreds of miles to see brother
who never recognized me- Every
hour | carried about with me this
living sorrow, worse than dead one.
Do you wonder that when they teIe
graphed me ito come" when | went
ana found the end near, when the
light of reason dawned for little,
when the bonds were loosed and his
free spirit went out from darkness
into the endless light OF eternity,
and we LAID his weary, wasted frame
to rest, do you wonder that the bur
den slipped from my shoulders and
my heart felt lighter than it had
done for years.
Do you wonder either that | hate
the tralic that brought so much
misery to me aud miner or the man
who advocates moderate drinkingY
for my anchestor was no common
drunkard, only one who drank daily
and occasionally became little mer-
ny.
Sometimes | pass house In the
evening and look in upon loving
group, husband, wife and children,
and then IS j come back to my
empty room and GO on with the
thread Of my desolate life think OF
The one who loved me and of the
home which might have been mine,
but for this terrible heritage, and
wonder how people who love their
homes, their country and their God
can sanction thes oyii, nay, permit
il to exist for moment.
Shall not the voice of sher broth