The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1895-07-26
NO. 81
A QUEER NATURAL LAW.
Atavism or the Term by Which
It Is Designated.
To Its Workings Are Ascribed the Singu.
lar Depravity of Some Children
Strange Freaks of
Heredity.

among the many mysterious forms
and traits in human life and character
there is nothing moro wonderful than
those which come from, or are developed
in what is known Us heredity or atavism.
Heredity is an old term, the meaning of
which is generally understood. 1t is
word somewhat broad in its sense and
application.
Atavism, says the Detroit Free Press,
is a newer term, and one with a mar
rover significance than that conveyed
by heredity, although it may be con-
sidered as one form C,f hcredity. The
technical expression is sometimes writ
ten also ''avitism," from the Latin
avitus pertaining to an ancestor or an
cestraD. The term usually applies to
some strongly developed peculiarity
or trait in character simply; to mere
mental or moral force or weakness
which manifests itself at irregular in.
tervals in particular families. 1t APP
pears to be governed by no general
laws as have been observed in the eff
fects of heredity in the physical system.
But it may apply to in1irmities or dis.
eases showing themselves in the blCoC
after lapses of generations in families
Kleptomania is often a form of
atavism. The innate disposition to
tilch, to steal slyly and adroitly, is
sometimes irresistible and ineradicable
in certain people. 1t IS q ta:ot in their
nature something like the instinct of
an animal of the lower orders, force
difficult to control where nature is al
lowed free course. The following is an
illustration of atavism:
Some years ago youth of intelli-
gence in one of the very best families of
a principal city, youth, who from the
force of necessity had never known Oc-
casion to steal in order to supply his
wants, was accidentally detected in the
act of rifling the wardrobe of friend
whose guest the young man was at the
time. Evidences subsequently revealed
disclosed the fact that the same youth
had been for years engaged in the COM
mission of similar crimes. His petty
pilferingS had alnouted in the aggre-
gate to hundreds of dollars. many of
the things stolen being articles for
which the fellow had no earthly use
Investigations into his history betrayed
the fact that one of the young mans
ancestors four generations back was
noted thief, the bad blood manifesting
itself in this one instance land in this
one instance only SO far as the records
could be known) after the lapse of sew
enty years. This is not only striking
illustration of atavism. but the fact
also proves the truth of the old society
aphorism that ''it takes more than two
generations to make gentleman"
A very interesting case of atavism has
been recently discovered in one of our
large cities. A minister of great piety
and retirement in character has
bright, promising son. who, in defiance
of all education, in defiance of both
precept and example, has become con-
frmed habitue OF livery stables and
sporting circles. He is a patron of the
race track particularly. He has no
moral weakness except in the penchant
to bet on fast horses.
Where did this young man first re-
ceive the touch or force that led to such
career? Every element in his train
ing has been in efforts to take him in a
contrary direction from that of his
present habits. Recently the discovery
was made that the great-grandfather of
the boy was breeder of fine running
horses, and that one of the passions of
his life was in betting at the race
course. This is an example of avatism
in the fourth generation.
Early in this century an immoral
woman came to New York from Europe.
She raised a large family of children,
nearly every one of whom landed in a
prison in early life. The criminal
records of the country show that three
hundred of the progeny of that woman
have been notorious felons and inmates
of penitentiaries and other prisons in
various parts of the country. The facts
doubtless illustrate the laws of both
heredity and atavism in their fullest
degrees.