Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1909-06-02
A STRANGE CASE
OF HEREDITY,
BY T. De VIII BOWMAN.


From my earliest remembrance
lived with Patrick Coulter. an Irish
man. All knew about him IN TO m,
time l was twelve years old was thai
be was Mr.. Coulter. and l was Geore,
Bissell. was given to understand nv
him that he had taken me "a an ar
phan and was bringing me up. Ger
tainly was not allied to him by blood
for was as refined in appearance q
any gentleman's son. while Mr.. Conf.
ter showed unmistakable signs ~
plebelan origin. He was short red
faced thickset. rotund and with eriz.
ely gray hair. He wore on his face a
perpetual sour expression. | confess
that, although | was given to under.
stand that l owed him everything. |
hated him.
And ! had every reason to hate him
for he hated inc He was aIwav
surly to me and never even In odd mo-
ments showed any affection for me
Only in one way did he manifest any
interest in me He would occasionally
have dts of generosity with me. giving
me money quite freely. but always Inn.
pressing it upon me that he was very
good to do so and that | should an.
preciate his kindness. He also seemed
to be troubled with a continued fear
of losing me.
The only knowledge be possessed
was that of figures. He wrote n good
clerical hand, and remember that
such accounts as ! happened on that
were made by him had a methodical
look
When was twelve years old | one
day found Mr.. Coulter In conversation
with lean. hungry looking man, who.
when entered. asked, 'Is this the
boyT" and Mr. Coulter grumbled a low
"Yes." The man looked at ME curl
Ously. and when he went away saw
him putting lot of bills in his pocket
book. He came after that from time
to time. and ON several occasions when
! happened to see him depart he had
evidently received something. His Wis.
its were always accompanied by bad
humor on the part of Mfr. Coulter, and
once overheard high words between
them.
The most remarkable bit Of treat
ment received from Mr Coulter was
a good education. When came to be
eighteen | longed TO go TO college and
begged very hard to be sent to a uni
versity. He demurred. bur at last con.
sented. telling me that | should always
remember that be had pinched himself
to send me. At college formed the
pleasantest associations and often
spent my vacations with my college
chums. Mr.. Coulter was greatly vexed
at this. but as was growing to be
more Of man every day. and be was
growing old and seemingly a tribe
AFRAID of me, / usually had my way.
At leaving college wished to study
the law, but for some reason Mr.. Coul-
ter took a strong dislike to my adopt
ing this profession. and in this In
stance, holding the purse strings. he
conquered.
One day while was thinking what
l would do to make myself independ-
ent had occasion to hunt for a letter
had mislaid. Mr.. Coulter was not in
the house. and rummaged all over
It Finally got into the garrett There
were several trunks there. all locked,
and an old desk. Protrudihg from an
under portion of the desk noticed the
corner of paper pulled It out and
read 1t. There was nothing in 1t that
Knew anything about, but the hand
writing attracted my attention at once.
indeed. 1t was. so like mine that for a
ume | supposed had written it and
wondered how 1t could have come to
De where 1t was. I put it in my pock-
e and studied 1t. The next time Mr.
coulter left me alone in the house
went back to the garnet and hunted
uil found a letter in the same hand
writing. This time was astonished.
" appeared to have been signed by
me, AT any rate. 1t was my name and
my handwriting. 1t had been written
70 Sir. Coulter from abroad and gave
Instructions In the matter Of certain
Properties possessed by the writer and
S.oentiy managed by Coulter.
l folded the letter. put 1t in my
pocket. took 1t down to my room.
lOcked the door and never gave over
making theories with regard to the
@atter till ! struck the right one. The
"riter Of the letter was evidently my
-asner or a near relative. Without
sVer having seen his handwriting. he
.e0ity had determined that as I grew
y manhood should adopt It then
-uu there determined, maintaining a
~ secrecy between myself and
coulter. TO make an investigation.
unearthed a great swindle The
.Veps took to do so would form a
.parate story. The tracks Of the man
.uo nad done the swindling had been |
= aoroitly covered that was obliged
Y proceed step by step and very slow
e knew In a few months all | |
", y came to know. but to untangle my /
--sSoEeries So as TO turn them into |
D.OOI required a year. When ! had
-.ueu the last knot | went one day |