The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1893-03-24
A QUEER NATURAL LAW
Atavism or the Term by Which
It Is Designated
To Its workI,g~ are .a~cribed the sinGu
lar Depravity of some Children
strange Freaks of
Heredity.

Among the many mysterious forms
and traits in human life and character
there i nothing more wonderful than
thn,,. which come from. or are developed
in what i known Is here,iity or atavism-
Hcreditv is an old term. the meaning Of
which i generally understood. 1t Is a
word somewhat broad in its sense and
application
AtaviSm. SAYS the Detroit Free Press,
Is a newer term, and one with mar
rover significance than that conveyed
bv hereditv. although IL may be con-
sidercd as one form Cf hcredity. The
technical expression is sometimes writ
ten also .-avitism. from the Latin
avitus lpertaining 10 an ancestor or an
ccstraD. The term usually apphes I"
son,. strongly developed popularity
or trait in character simply; 10 mere
r,cn.al or moral force or weakness
which manifestS itself at Irregular IN
tervals in particular families. IL aP-
pears 70 be governed by no general
laws as have been observed in the el-
fects of heredity in the physical system
But it may apply To inhrmIues or dlS-
eases showing themselves III the bID"G
after lapses Of generations IN iamllleS-
Kleptomania is often form "t
atavism. The innate disposition I"
filch. 10 steal slyly and adroitly. l.
sometimes irresistible and ineradicablc
in certain people. 1t is taint IN then
nature something like the instinct ol
an animal Of the lower orders. fore,
difficult To control where nature IS al
lowed free course. The following l. an
illustration Of atavism:
Some years ago a youth Of intelll-
pence in one of the very best families OF
a principal city. youth. who from Tn,
force Of necessity had never known oc-
casion to steal in order To supply n
wants. was accidentally detected in Tn
act of rifiing the wardrobe of fricno
whose guest the young man was Al lh.
time Evidences subsequently reveale.
disclosed the fact that the same youth
had been for years engaged in the com
mission OF similar crimes. His Pott-
pilferings had amoUtcd in the a-Tr.-
gate 10 hundreds of dollars. many
the things stolen being articles +.
which the fellow had no earthly y-.
Investigations into his history lecrgT
the fact that one of the young m--
ancestors four generations back was
noted thief. the bad blood manireztf-
itself in this one instance land IL
one instance only. 50 far as the ra
could be known after the Lapse Il
entv years. This is not only st-iki-
illustration Of atavism. but the fac
also proves the truth of the old society
aphorism that 1T takes more than two
generations % make a gentleman
\ very interesting ease Of atLviSm r.
al q fr,
large cities. \ minister Of ~rs-.
and retirement in churact has
bright. promising son, who. II Je-aus
Of all education, in defiance Of 5"
preccpt and example. has becoIuea .-
firmed habitue of livery stable, and
sporting circles. He i patron IF the
race track particularly. lie has z"
moral weakness except in the penchac
TO bet on fast horses.
Where did this young man first r.
ceive the touch or force that led 10 sucl
a career? Every element in his train
ing has been in efforts to take him ia
contrary direction from that of h.
present habits. Recently the discovgr-
was made that the great-Gr9nGfatEcrC q
the boy was breeder Of fine runuin
horses. and that one Of the passions q
his life was in betting at the rae.
course. This is an example Of avatisL
in the fourth generation.
Early in this century an immora
woman came 70 New Yorl, from Europe
She raised large family OF children
nearly every one OF whom landed in
prison in early life The crimina
records Of the country show that thrc
hundred Of the progeny of that vvomg
have been notorious felons and jnmat
Of penitcntiaries and other prison
various parts of the country. The l.
doubtless Illustrate the laws ef =
heredity and atavism in their iulles
degrees.