Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1897-08-11
HEREDITY.
CONTINUED from last week.

"NL
If devoted my time to the wayward
and fallen among my own sex-and /
have often felt called of God to that
work. would study heredity. l would
study heredity from father to son
from mother to daughter, from father
to daughter, and from mother t son.
l would study Reversional and Col.
lateral and every other kind down to
the heredity of influence.
In u temperance work we are
greatly interested in the hereditary
passion for the intoxicating cup. We
see it every day, and meet with it on
every hand. Not long since l met with
a painful illustration of it. 1 am the
unfortunate owner Of a small house. A
lew months ago a man moved into it
without my knowledge or,consent. A
few weeks ago he moved out of 1t with
out my knowledge or consent. He is
in the employee of a railroad company,
which pays him about So per day, and
did not feel able to furnish him a
home without compensation; so l called
on their pay day at his new abode. l
found him drunk-dead drunk-too
drunk, perhaps, to comprehend what
was wanted Of him. His family were
destitute of the common necessities of
life and his wife complained bitterly
OF her lot. When she spoke of divorce
l stopped her. I told her plainly that
did not believe in divorces, and urged
her not to talk to a stranger about her
husband. you do not know him.
she replied. " took in washing and
gave him the money to buy me shoes
and he spent it for whisky. If you
were to give him money to buy a shroud
for . little dead baby, he would gather
in a dozen men and treat them with it.
His brother is just like him and they
come by it honest; they get it from
their father" Oh, the pity of it. l
never expect to get the S13 which he
says he owes me for rent; hence | am
not quite willing for him to go to
Heaven when he dies. But I have
more patience with him than | have
with the middle aged, ignorant woman
who became his wife knowing that he
comes by it honestly-that he inherits
it from his father.
1t is cheering to know that the vir-
tues of the parents may be transmitted
to the little ones, as we'll as the vices.
II the present generation would take it
in hand they could make the next gen.
GRAFTON what they would have IL be.
We have only to be ourselves what we
would have our children become. If
we want our children to be truthful,
let us tell the truth ourselves, or for.
ever hold our peace.
Once whenI was very sick and was
not SUR that 1 would recover, my doc.
tor said to me n morning: I'VE get
our religion from our parents" / do
not know how he happened to say it.,
for he neve talked much. but it did
me more good than medicines he left
mi that day. OF Scotch Irish Presby-
terrain origin. if I could know that re.
ligion descended TO my heredity, I
could easily believe that I am predes-
tined to eternal life in green pastures
beside still waters. If a mother can
not transmit her religion, she can do
much for them, Notwithstanding the
fact that their moral natures are de-
termined by their fathers. Let her not
be discouraged. II she sows in tears,
she may reap rejoicing. Let her train
up her children in the way they should
go, and when they are old they will
not depart from it. for
"Thrice armed Is he who hath his quarrel
just,
And four times she who gets her lick in
flrst.'
-Mrs. Sarah G. Leamon.