davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington herald., 1916-01-16

chaste and modest When they passed
a man on the road they stepped to one
side, turning their backs and hiding
their faces. The age of marriage was
about twenty, although children were
often affianCed when they were very
young. When boys arrived at the mar
riageable age their fathers consulted the
professional matchmakers of the com
munity, to whom arrangements for mar
riage were ordinarily entrusted. it be
ing considered vulgar for parents or
their sons to be concerned with any OF
the marriage arrangements.
Having sought out the brides parents
the matchmaker arranged with them the
matter of dowry which the young man
father paid, his wife at the same tlIne
giving the necessary clothing for her son
and prospective daughter-in-laW.
On the day of the wedding the rela-
t,ves and guests assembled at the house
of the Young mans parents, where
great feast had been prepared. HAVING
satisfied himself that the young couple
bsd sufficiently considered the grave step
thev we're about to take the priest gave
the bride to her husband.
Tho ceremony closed with feast in
which all participated. Immediately ait
or the wedding the young HUSBAND went
10 the home of his brides parents Where
he was obliged to work hEe, or SIN years
for his hoard. If he refused to comply
rO 1.itb tbie custom he was driven from
the house and the marriage presumably
was annulled This step rarely seems 10
have been necessary and the mother-ln-
law on her part saw to 1t that the oaush-
ter fed the young husband regularly,
DractiCe which betOkened the recognition
of the marriage rite
Widows and widowers were married
l,-,sTo emf a
= widower to call on his prospective Wlte
and cat in her house Marriage between
neODIe Of the same name was considered
an evil practice 1t was also thought I'M
proper to marry a mother-ln-laW or an
aunt by marriage or slsleT-ln-la".
otherwise a man could marry whom he
would, even his first cousin.
The Mavas we're of a very Jealous ma
ture and divorces were frequent. Ihese
we're effected merely by the deseruon OF
the husband or wife, as the case might
be- The parents tried to bring tne COUPE
together and effect a reconciliation put
if their efforts proved unsuccessful both
parties were at liberty to remarry. II
there were young children the mother
kept them. Although divorce was com
mon occurrence it was condemned oy
the best people of a community. PoIyga-
my was unknown.
Agriculture was the chief pursuit.
Labor was largely communal All hands
Joined to do one another's work. Bands
of twenty or more each, passing from
field to field through the community,
quickly finished sowing and harvesting
This communal idea was carried out in
the chase, fifty or more men going out
together to hunt. At the conclusion Of
these expeditions the meat was roasted
and carried into town.
Commerce was we'll developed. Salt,
The Washington herald., 1916-01-16

though little more than the material evil
dences of architecture and sculpture
have survived the ravages of the destruc-
tive environment in which this culture
fourished.
This period Of development, which
lasted about 400 years, may be called
the Golden Age of the Mayas At least it
was the first great epoch in their history,
and so far as sculpture is concerned, the
one best comparable to the classic period
of Greek art
The causes which led to the decline of
civilization in the south are unknown. It
is thought that stronger peoples pushed
in from the south and west or that the
civilization, having run it's course, col
lapsed through sheer lack Of power to
advance.
The second and last great Maya epoch
came in the years from 1000 to 1900
1t was their age of architecture, as the
first had been their age of sculpture
AS a separate art sculpture languished.
but as an adjunct in embellishing archi-
lecture it lived again. At this time, prob
ably, there arose the many cities which
today are crumbling in decay throughout
the length and breadth of Yucatan, their
very names forgotten.
In 1926 Francisco Montejo, having
been granted by the Spanish empire the
the conquest of the country in earnest.
With three ships and 500 men he sailed
for Yucatan. At the end of fourteen
years of sanguinary struggles he finally
conquered and pacitied the whole coun-
try.
The Mayas were a tall race, active and
strong, according to Bishop Landa, who
wrote a remarkable history of Yucatan
in 1866. In childhood the forehead was
1Tt1h0lqllV hQttnnpd q nd
nose were pierced for the insertion of
ornaments, of which the people were
very fond
Squint eye was considered a mark of
beauty and mothers strove to disfgure
their children in this way by suspending
pellets of wax between their eyes in or
der to make them squint. The faces of
the younger boys were scalded by the
application of hot cloths to prevent the
growth of boards, which were not popu-
lar.
Both men and women wore their hair
long. The men had a large spot burned
on the back of their heads where the
hair always remained short. With the
exception of a small queue which hung
down behind, the hair was gathered
around the head in braid. The women
wore more beautiful coiffure divided
into two braids
The faces of both sexes we're much
disfgured as a result of their religious
beliefs, which led to the practice of
scaridcation. Tattooing was also COM
mon to both sexes and there were per-
sons in almost every community who
were especially expert in this art Both
men and women painted themselves red
the former decorating their entire bodies
and the latter all except their faces,
which modesty decreed should be left un-
painted.
The Washington herald., 1916-01-16
The Maya Territory in Central Amer
lea Showing Location of Principal
Cities.

The women also anointed themselves
very freely with fragrant gums and per-
fumes. They filed their teeth to sharp
enhance their beauty.
The clothing of the men was simple.
They wore a breechclout wrapped sew
eral times around the loins and tied in
such a way that one end fell in front
between the legs and the other in the
corresponding position behind. The
breechclouts were carefully embroidered
by the women and decorated with feath-
erwork. A large square cape fell from the
shoulders and sandals of hemp or leath-
er completed the costume.
For persons of high rank the apparel
was much more elaborate, the humble
breechclout and cape of the laboring
man giving place to panaches of
gorgeously colored feathers hanging
from wooden helmets, rich mantles of
tiger skins and finely wrought orna-
ments of gold and jade
The women sometimes wore a simple
petticoat and cloth covering the
breast and passing under the arms. More
often their costumes consisted of a sin
gle, loose, sacklike garment called the
hipil, which reached the feet and had
Sits for the arms. This garment, with
the addition of a cloth or scarf wrapped
around the shoulders, constituted the
womens clothing a thousand years ago.
Just as it does today.
In ancient times the women were very
The Washington herald., 1916-01-16

cloth and slaves were the chief articles
of barter. Cocoa, stone counters and
highly-prized red shells Of a peculiar
kind were the medium of exchange.
Credit was asked and given, all debt
we're honestly paid and no usury was
asked.
The sense Of justice among the Mayss
was highly developed. II man com
mitted an offense against one Of another
village, the formers lord caused salts
faction to be rendered, otherwise the
communities would come to blows. Every
village had its Judge. IL the man were
found guilty of an ofense and did not
pay, the obligation extended to his wife
and relatives. The punishment Of muir
der was left in the hands Of the de-
ceased's relatives. A thief who did not
make good what he had stolen was re-
duced to slavery Adultery was punish
able by death. The wronged husband
had the right to crush in the offenders
head with a rock The infamy Of the
guilty woman was considered punish
ment enough for her.
The Mayas we're a very hospitsble peo-
pie, always offering food and drink to
the stranger within their gates and
sharing with him to the last crumb. They
were muC0 given u COuNlNldhNsr cope
cially the lords Vegetable stews, rOas'
meats. corn cakes and cocoa were the
foundations Of a banquet After the re-
past beautiful girls, acting as cupbearers,
passed among the guests plying them in
dustriously with wines until all were
drunk. At these orgies drinking was
carried to such eXcesses that the wives
Of the guests were obliged to come 70
their besotted husbands and drag them
OF
banquet was obliged to give one in re
turn and not even death could stay the
payment OF a debt Of this kind, since the
obligation descended TO the recipients
heirs.
Comedies and dances were the chief
amusements of the Mayas, in both the
which they exhibited much skill and in
genuity. They possessed a variety OF
musical instruments, drums Of several
kinds, rattles. reed flutes, wooden horns
and bone whistles. Most Of their music
was of sad nature.
Frequent wars developed the military
organization to a high degree. Two gen
erals. one hereditary and the other cleo
tive. were at the head of the army.
Standing armies, thoroughly trained, we're
kept in all the villages and cities. Bows
and arrows, lanCes and axes were the
offensive weapons. Quilted coats and
wicker and hide shields we're used in de-
fense.
After battle the victors mutilated the
bodies of the slain, cutting out the jaw
bones and cleaning of the flesh. These
were worn as bracelets. Prisoners be
came the slaves of those who captured
them.
The Mavas. entertained an excessive
and constant fear of death. Many Of
their religious practices had no other end
in view than that of warding OF the
dread visitor. A prolonged period Of
sadness always followed death.
The Washington herald., 1916-01-16

that are Delng found out about them are
amazing if nothing more
Long before Christianity came into the
world the Mayas away off here by them
selves in Central America had a long
start on their way to developing a re-
ligion, a system of government, a mill
tary system, a form of writing and an
art which could put to blush some of
the same things which the first people
OF the world developed in other parts of
the earth
AS it is. the scientists have only
scratched the surface of Maya civiliza-
tion. They have already discovered
much about their hieroglyphic writing as
wonderful as that Of the Egyptians, but
have not yet deciphered their monuments
and tablets When they do they are
apt to find things which will make the
world rub its eyes in wonder at what
Americans had already accomplished in
the way of civilization
The Mayas. according to s. G.. Morley
who has written An Introduction to the
Study of the Maya HierogIyphs" for the
Bureau OF American Ethnology, were
a lowland people inhabiting the At
lantic coast plains of southern Mexi-
co and northern Central America. At
present there are upwards of twenty
tribes speaking various dialects Of the
Maya language, perhaps half a million
people in all. They live in the same gen.
eral regions their ancestors occupied but
under greatly changed conditions
Formerly the Mayas were the van Of
civilization in the new world, but today
they are a dwindling race. their once re-
markable civilization being a thing Of
the past and its manners and customs
are forgotten. All things considered,
the Mayas may be regarded as having
developed probably the highest aborig-
inal civilization in the western world, al
though it should be borne in mind that
they we're surpassed in many lines of
endeavor by other races.
The ancient Mayas emerged from bar
barism probably during the first or sec
ond century of the Christian era By the
end Of the second century Maya civiliza-
tion was fairly on its feet. Then there
began an extraordinary development all
along the line. City after city sprang
into prominence, each contributing its
share to the general progress and art of
the time. All activities doubtless shared
in the general uplift which followed.
The Lexington progress. (Lexington, Tenn.) 1884-current, 1916-03-24

before the Commission, and will be
disposed Of as soon as get time to
digest the immense record in the
case, and formulate an opinion on
the same.
A very large number Of intricate
rate controversies have been adjust
ed by the Commission. The Com
mission only a few days ago dispos-
ed Of twenty freight rate cases in
volving a large number Of railroads
in the State in a manner that was
satisfactory to the shippers and was
accepted by the carriers under pro-
test. Neither one Of the litigants in
those cases secured all that was de-
sired, but the adjustment made by
the Commission was so eminently
fair that the railroads did not con-
test it.
The Lexington progress. (Lexington, Tenn.) 1884-current, 1916-03-24
s q. T. N IItssslI e FRAIl -. Z
UNDER CONSIDERATION

the railroad was letter from Vice
President H. F. Smith indicating
that if train No. 81 is not put. on
this line that another night train
will be. started. This is not what
the people Of Jackson want, but it
may be the best they can get under
the circumstances. Mr.. Smiths let
ter in part is as follows;
There is much to be taken into
consideration, which, at this time,
we will not attempt to detail What
you wish is night service between
Hollow Rock Junction and Mem
phis. Tennessee, which will provide
the communities on that part Of our
line with through service to and
from Nashville and points South
and it is the desire Of the manage
ment that such service be provided
If practicable le.-Jackson Sun.
The Lexington progress. (Lexington, Tenn.) 1884-current, 1916-03-24

The home and most Of the furni-
ture of J. D. Andrews at Spring
Creek was totally destroyed by fire
Saturday afternoon at 4 o'clock.
The house was built before the war
and was formerly the property Of
the late DR.. j. B. Andrews. The
house and furniture were partially
covered by insurance.
The family were at the residence
at the time and we're informed Of
the fire by the small son Of Mr..
Andrews, who was fishing in pond
a short distance from the house. A
fire was in an upstairs crate and it
is thought that a spark fell from
the chimney to the roof.
The house was constructed 0
heavy timbers and was Of two story
construction. 1t was a landmark
for that part Of the county. Jack
son Sun.
The Lexington progress. (Lexington, Tenn.) 1884-current, 1916-03-24
New Assistant
Agricultural Agent

Mr.. j. E. Hite, recently superin-
tendent Of the state farm, has just
been appointed Assistant Agricul-
tural Agent Of the Nashville, Chat
tanooga & St. Louis Railway, and
will devote his energies to the agri-
cultural and live stock activities Of
the road in connection with its
numerous demonstration farms.
This work which has been handled
by Mr.. Joseph H. Judd, has grown
to such proportions that it became
necessary for Mr. Judd to have as
sistance as several new farms are
to be operated this year and the
work enlarged at other points.
Mr.. Hite is q native of Gallatin,
Tenn. He is an experienced man
and will prove valuable asset to
the road. He is graduate Of the
Agricultural Department Of the I'm
iversity Of Tennessee which has
been rendering valuable cooperation
in the matter of encouraging better
agricultural conditions, is member
Of the board of that institution, and
for three years was in charge Of the
Division Of Extension in Georgia.
He has also studied agricultural
conditions in Europe, and is emf
nently qualified for the work for
which he has been chosen.
In addition to the demonstration
farms now operated by the road at
Tullahoma, Murfreesboro, Dickson,
Decherd, Sewanee and Martin, the
N. & C. has just opened a farm at
Paris and also at Albertville, Ala.
The policy Of the management Is to
advance the agricultural and live
stock interests along its lines, and
in doing so to have the work under
the control Of experienced men SO
that the best results may be obtain
ed. The results so far have been
most gratifying and have been Of
great benefit to the farmers through
out the territory traversed by it:
lines.
The Lexington progress. (Lexington, Tenn.) 1884-current, 1916-03-24
George A. Gowan
Dies in Texas

George A. Gowan died in Kerr.
vile, Tex, Sunday, March IL. His
remains were brought to Nashville,
and the funeral was held Thursday
morning at East End Methodist
church and interment followed at
Mt. Olivet.
Mr.. Gowan left Nashville several
months ago for Texas to visit his
sister, hoping that change Of eli
mate would be beneficial to his
health, which had been greatly i'm
paired for a year or more. Mr..
Gowan was for many years a com.
mercial traveller for the Chattanoo-
Ga Plow Co. He quit the road about
two years ago, and was appointed
assistant smoke inspector for the
City Of Nashville, which position he
held until last fall, when, on ac-
count Of i'll health, he was compell-
ed to give up. When the Memphis.
to-Bristol Highway Association was
organized several years ago Mr.. Co
wan was elected its first president
Mr.. Gowan was a member Of
Nashville Council 102, U. C. T., be-
sides being a member Of a number
Of other fraternal associations. He
was well known and popular
throughout the state. and he had
many friends who will regret his
death.
Mr.. Gcwan is survived by his
widow and one son. Nashville Ban
ner, 18th inst.
George Gowan was well known
and held in high esteem by many
citizens Of Lexington.
The Lexington progress. (Lexington, Tenn.) 1884-current, 1916-03-24

The installation Of a night train
on the N. C. & St. L. railroad be-
tween Jackson and Nashville is be-
ing considered by the officials Of the
road following an earnest petition
from the people Of this city and
other towns on the line.
The matters were presented to
the railroads in a request that train
No. 90, known as the "Menphis-At-
lanta Limited" be transferred from
the Louisville & Nashville tracks via
Mckenzie to the N, C. & St. l.
tracks via Jackson.
Numerous letters from patrons OF
the road have been written to the
officials and Postmaster Oliver Ben
ton has been conducting a vigorous
campaign to this end in order to i'm
prove the mail service in and out Of
jackson.
The latest communication from
The Lexington progress. (Lexington, Tenn.) 1884-current, 1916-03-24
D|LLARD & COFFIN
SELL OUT HERE
L. T. Fielder Purchases
EDtire Property
WILL OPERATE ALL
Cotton Gin and Ice Factory
WIN Each be Run In Seq
son. and Improved to
Meet Demand.

One Of the most important prop
erty deals pulled off in Lexington in
a long time was the purchase re-
Gently by 1. I. Fielder Of the whole
billiard & Coffin Company property,
the site Of the w. P. Ward Stave
Factory and later the cotton gin
and Ice plants erected by c. P. VIII
son.
The lot embraces some three or
four sores Of land lying immediate
ly on the railroad side and on it are
the buildings necessary for a first
class cotton gin outfit Of the Mum
Ger System, and six-ton capacity
ice plant, the latter Of which was
operated last season and made per-
haps the best Ice ever sold in Lex
lHglOn.
Mr. Fielder does not state the
consideration, but does state that
which is more important THAT both
the ice plant and the cotton Gin
will be operated and that he has al
ready begun improvements on the
Ice plant.
The PROGRESS congratulates Mr..
Fielder On bis purchase and trusts
~ NJ 1nfSi1 from
our citizens that cooperation nee
essary to make their operation q
success.
The Lexington progress. (Lexington, Tenn.) 1884-current, 1916-03-24
LEXINGTON TENNESSEE. FRIDAY MARCH a. 1916
STATE SUPT. SHERRILL
RAPS COUNTY FEE SYSTEM

jority of them are paid much less.
In Davidson county Superintend-
ent Anderson gets salary of So, 400
d year for devoting all his time and
attention to the school work He is
b man trained in looking after the
Interests Of the school children. He
81 q school man. But the county
trustee Of Davidson county last year
Received $6,25942 for collecting the
chool money. There is no justice
ID 1t when the school money is paid
gsut in any such manner.
According to the figures compiled
say Mr.. Sheriff. the trustee of David
Ton county last year received So
|,59.42 for collecting the school mon
ny, the trustee Of Shelby county re-
eived $8,133.43, the trustee of
hamilton county received $4,50735
and the trustee Of Knox county re-
teived $4,65085.
VI Under the present fee system
The trustees get two whacks at the
school money said Mr.. Sheriff..
They get q whack at it when it is
collected and turned over to the
state comptroller. They get anoth-
er whack when it is sent back to
them for disbursement. Under the
present system they are entitled to
q per cent Of the first $1,000 col
lected, 4 per cent Of the second
1000 and 2 per cent of the re-
Inninder collected. amounting in the
III reeate last year to $91 ,597.69.
The Lexington progress. (Lexington, Tenn.) 1884-current, 1916-03-24
REPUBLICAN CON-
MITTEE 9TH DIST.
Meets In Lexington and
Fixes Dates
FOR 2 CONVENTIONS
Rules Recognize Both Toft
and Roosevelt Votes In
Establishing Bosls OF
Representation

The Republican Congressional Ex-
ecutive Committee Of the Eighth
Congressional District met In Lex
ington last Tuesday, the 21st inst,
at | o'clock p. m. with Chairman
W. H. Denison presiding and Robert
Hurst acting secretary.
All counties were represented by
the committeeman in person or by
proxy except Perry and Decatur.
Decatur has perhaps not elected
committeeman to succeed WI. Car
rington, who moved from Parsons
Lexington.
The rules adopted provide for one
delegate to each 200 votes cast, or
majority fraction thereof, in the
votes cast for both Taft and Roose-
velt in 1912.
The committee fixed the date Of
the convention to elect delegates to
the national convention at Chicago
(June - to elect presidential
elector for the Congressional district
and to re-organize the Coneression.
al committee, for May 2, at Cam
| den.
The Convention 10 nominate II
candidate for Congress will be held
at Lexington on the 17th Of August.
Those present representing the
counties direct or by proxy we're
Messrs. Phil Arnold and B. B. Capps
Of Madison; Wesley Williams and ].
Sam Johnson, Of Carroll; D. j. Allen
and c. H. Sullivan, Of Benton; W.
H. Denison and E. W. Essary, Of
Henderson; Lewis Freeman, County
Court Clerk Harbert and Circuit
Court Clerk Horton, and Robert
Hurst, Of Hardin.
The Lexington progress. (Lexington, Tenn.) 1884-current, 1916-03-24

to the support Of the state govern
ment.
As soon as became a member OF
the Commission | began to press the
proposition that e 1-2c per mile
passenger fare was a reasonable
rate for the first class railroads in
Tennessee to charge. In 1908 the
Southern Railway Company, the
Cincinnati, New Orleans & Texas
Pacific Railway and the Mobile &
Ohio Railroad Company under or
ders Of the Railroad Commission,
put into effect on their lines in Ten
nessee an intra-state passenger rate
at 2 1-2c per mile, and have since
maintained it. There was a long
drawn out controversy between the
Railroad Commission and the Louis
vile & Nashville Railroad and the
Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis
Railway Companies which was fin
ally adjusted April 1st, 1914, and
said railroad companies put into ef-
feet on all their lines in the State
Of Tennessee, an intra-state passen.
ger rate Of 2 1-2c per mile, and
made that the basis for their intra'
state fares. The Illinois Centra
Railroad Company continued to con
test the legality Of the orders Of the
Commission in regard to passenger:
fares, and that case is now pending