Rensselaer Journal, Volume 11, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 October 1901 — POWERS OF HERDITY. [ARTICLE]

POWERS OF HERDITY.

Some Remarkable Stories Told of It* Mysterious Influences. Doctors disagree as to the influence of heredity. Some hold that a great deal hinges upon it; others believe the contrary. Some of the authentic stories told to exemplify this mysterious bond between ancestors and descendants are very curious. There was a loan collection of old portraits exhibited In London lately and a young girl was among the visitors, She was an or-, phan and wealthy, but without near relatives, and was often heard to complain of the loneliness of her position. As she passed through the gallery one particular portrait attracted her attention and she went back to it more than once. Her companion saw in It nothing but the commonplace painting of a middle-aged man in the costume of ths latter part of the last century. “It is such a nice, kind face,” said the girl, rather wistfully. “I imagine my father might have looked like that had he lived." As most of the pictures were ticketed the visitors had purchased no catalogue, but, before going away, Miss B. bought one at the entrance and made a last visit to the portrait for which she had felt so strong an attraction. To her astonishment she found her own name opposite to its number and learned on Inquiry that the original was one of her direct ancestors. Another occult coincidence or psychological phenomenon happened a few years ago to a southern statesman and financier whose family has always beef of rank in his native state. This gentleman was overhauling old documents and letters which had been stored In n musty chest for years and intended to publish whatever might be of hlstorlo value and Interest. To his surprise he unfolded a letter yellow and timestained which was written in his own

peculiar handwriting, or seemed (• have been written by him, although the date was two generations before hit birth. The signature of the surname, which was the same as his own, was •• markedly characteristic that he could scarcely believe his own hand did not pen the letters—Montreal Herald and Star.