OF A CERTAIN PENNSYLVANIA FAMILY. 65 



IV-92, the youngest son of III-44, was probably fathered by a 

 man of good mentality whose family show excellent business sense. 

 He was born in 1880. He lived about with his mother anywhere, from 

 his second to his eleventh year, then went one day to the house of some 

 well-to-do farmers begging for the heads and livers of some hogs they 

 were butchering; told them, too, how much he wanted to go to school. 

 Although the woman of this house already had seven boys, she found 

 room for one more, and from that time he was given his chance. He 

 was scarcely able to read and write at 11, but attended school regu- 

 larly, working summers and ''choring" for his board in winters, until 

 at 20 he w^as finally graduated from high school. He found mathe- 

 matics particularly difficult, but at 18 took a stiff course in mental 

 arithmetic and has no trouble with that since. He retains his interest 

 in fiction and history and is decidedly well-read. He discusses intelli- 

 gently topics of the day. For a time after his graduation he worked 

 on the railroad, but four years ago was taken into the employ of the 

 foster-parents, who own a large bakery. He now transacts $60 worth 

 of business a day and rarely makes a mistake; is paying for a house 

 worth $3,000. He is a tall man, of excellent physique, well-marked 

 features; honest, clean, straightforward, aggressive, reliable. His 

 employers say he is indispensable to them in their business. He is 

 devoted to his good-for-nothing mother, whom he offers a home in her 

 old age. Has married a girl who is his inferior — nervous, hysterical, 

 jealous, complaining, dependent — whose family has at least one men- 

 tal defective. Their only son (V-86) is a lively, attractive boy of 3. 



IV-94, who is a son of III-44, by her alcoholic, immoral second hus- 

 band, showed no disposition to get on at schooKor at any particular 

 trade. Loafs and works about for farmers. 



The next child in the main fraternity was III-48, born 1855. Very 

 dull and backward as a boy in school and has suffered from epileptic 

 seizures all his life, which, his family claim, were greatly aggravated by 

 an electric shock he suffered at the time of his sister's death from 

 lightning-stroke. He has been very persevering and hardworking in 

 spite of his affliction. Reared a large family and acquired a farm of 

 about 100 acres; everything about the place in excellent repair. Suf- 

 fered from a severe illness last wdnter, when he was unconscious for 

 hours, but now is as active as ever. While at times he shows mental 

 confusion, incident to epilepsy, he is strictly honest and has much 

 shrewd sense in the conduct of his affairs. He married III-49, born 

 1854, who comes from a family showing much alcoholism and eccen- 

 tricity. She was the eldest child and one of the ablest in her family. 

 Worked among strangers from early girlhood and had an illegitimate 



