davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-02-11
ROGERSVILLE MAN KILLED BY TRAIN
w. A. Gresham's Mangled Body Is Found on Track
 Near Sheffield

Sheffield. February 10.-(SpeciaL) The mangled body of W. A. Gresham, who resided near Rogersville, across the Tennessee river from here, in Lauderdale county, was found Friday afternoon on the tracks of the Southern railroad, about. two miles east of this city. It is believed that Gresham was walking or asleep on the tracks when he was struck by moving train, and met a tragic death.
 In the pockets of the mans cloth ing wers found a $10 bill and some letters, one of which bore the address of 'W. A. Greshma, Rogersville, Ala. and these led to Identification of the body. The body was brought to the un- dertaking establishment of Pride & Martin, in this city, where an inquest was held. His relatives were notified.
 At a called meeting of the Sheffield Commercial club Friday afternoon resolutions were adopted and commit tees appointed to protest against the Sloss- Sheffield Steel and Iron company establishing a commissary in this city. The business men of Sheffield are sol idly against the proposition of the company opening a commissary here and it is claimed that the employees of the company at their local plants are also opposed to such move on the part of the company.
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-04-08

but they are by no means all that
could be desired. In Japan at present
millions of bulbs are grown from seed
each year. the demand being so large
that enough cannot be grown to sup
ply 1t. Several factors initiate against
the Japan lily bulbs. They are at
tackled by a mite which spoiis them
for forcing purposes aud there Is also
a fungous disease which affects the
stems and leaves.
Where The Jarancse Fails.
The Japanese Easter-lily- bulb farm
er has not yet learned the importance
Of selection. and In his desire to reap
large profits from his crop he does
not make the necessary selection from
his seedlings for hish-class bulbs. the
result being that many OF the plants
grown from Japanese bulbs lack uni
formity OF size and stem, time Of now.
ering and other characteristics. Mr..
Oliver stated that he had been in
formed that the Japanese Department
Of Agriculture had taken the matter
in hand with a view to inducing the
growers to weed out inferior seedlings
and propagate only the best.
when you look,over a collection Of
blooming Easter lily plants you will
seldom fail to note the preponderance
OF weakly. yeliow-ieaved plants, with
one or two flowers on each. You may
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-04-08

severe for Easter lily propagation. but
the Department has found that Gen.
trail and Northern Florida. some parts
OF Mississippi and OF Texas. but espe-
cialiy Southern California. offer ideal
conditions for their culture.
The lilies do best. grow and multi
ply most rapidly where there Is no
severe frost. Better Easter lilies, the
Department Of Agriculture claims. are
grown in Southern California than
anywhere else In tho world.
The Government expert who has
given most time and attention to ex-
Fermentation with Easter lily culture
during the past ten years Is Mr.. George
w. Oliver. expert In plant breeding
Mr.. divers tests have proven to him
that. climatic conditions being right,
the most important factor in success
or failure in lily growing is observance
OF the fact that they should not be
grown for two consecutive years in
the same field. This he believes to
be the main cause Of trouble with lily
growing in Bermuda. Farms are small
and the lily crop 80 stable and profit
able that the farmers have not prac-
ticed the alienation Of crops neces-
sary to keep the bulbs up to tho stand
ard.
The Japanese lilies so far have
been more satisfactory. according to
the Department Of Agriculture expert,
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-04-08

or feshy nourishment they take after
the abstinence OF Lent. The Italians
at that. time abstained from eggs.
cheese and butter as well as meat
during Lent AS soon as the eggs
were biest eacf, man. woman and child
carried his or her portion home and
had them placed in dishes on a table
covered with the best linen the house
could AFFORD. The egg shells were
sometimes gilde6 or silvered. and piled
into pyramid. The table was kept
set for a week and visitors were in
vited to partake Of the eggs and to
refuse one OF these eggs was regarded
as an insult to the host
Russian Customs.
In Russia Easter Day Is set apart as
day of visiting. the visitor always
carrying as many eggs as he expects
to make calls. When he Is ushered
into the room he sees several dishes
hiled with colored eggs. those which
have been received on one side and
those to be given out on the other.
Jesus Christ Is risen" Is the greetin e
and the answer is Yes. He Is risen"
The visitor and host then embrace
and vodka is served. Very little. of
this vile stun can be drunk without
causing intoyication and nov that
Russia Is dry the Easter gifta Of eggs
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-04-08

One of the prettiest OF the German
egg customs is the Easter singers who
go about In the Tyroi singing In honor
as gifts; Fires are lighted away up on
the mountain sides and when these
begin to burn the peasants in their
native costumes 60 from door to door
stunning their guitars and singing
the hymns OF their church. They stop
at the different homes where the good
wives have eggs and wine prepared
for them. After being refreshed at
many dwellings the singers light their
torches and return home. Baking
eggs before an omen fire Is also Ger.
man custom. The ends of the eggs
are opened and salt and pepper are
added. Then the eggs are set up In q
tiny cup and allowed to roast They
are said to be delicious.
The Easter rabbit Is an important
figure In the nursery lore of Germany
for the children are taught to believe
that the Easter bunnie will slip n
and secret any number OF beautifully
colored eggs for the child who has
| obeyed his parents during the year,
The children are tucked into bed early
on Easter Eve so that they rise early
and find the pretty eggs which the
rabbit or the hare Gas the animal Il
known the-e) has left for the kiddiea
The Easter hare myth reached Amer.
lea long ago. but here the animal has
been transformed into rabbit
| There Is little real foundation foa
the connection between the hare and
the Easter eggs, but Gust ON has linked
them together and year after year we
| find them inseparable. The use Of
sugar eggs enclosing quantities OF bon.
bons or huge eggs OF cream covered
with chocolate have been used as gifts
| for the past fifty years. Many Of them
are exquisite works OF art and the
confectionery shops rival each other
in their efforts to turn out the most
attractive eggs-the Easter symbol Of
\ the Resurrection.
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-04-08
What the Department Of Agriculture Is roing To
Keep At Home the Millions Annually Spent In
Easter Blooms Southern California Grows
the Rest Lilies Lily Culture
Copyright, 1917. BY The International Syndicate.


bulbs. than are their original coun-
tries s..
THE Easter lily. which viii be used
in abundance this month by the peo-
pie in the decoration of churches and
homes all over this country comes
mainly from Japan and Bermuda.
The importation from Japan has in
creased in late years on account Of
disease which has materially affected
the lily trade in Bermuda. The best
foreign bulbs we are At present i'm
porting are coming to us from Okaima
and other islands of Japan. which are
fairly free from disease. These is
lands are three hundred miles from
the mainland. and never experience
frost because they are surrounded by
warm water somewhat similar to our
Gulf Stream. thus attaining the
climatic condition desirable for the
culture of the favorite Easter bios
SON."
Satisfactory Results Almost Certain.
A talk with some OF the authorities
on Easter lily culture In tho United
department Of Agriculture. gave val
uahie information on the subject Ex-
periments made at the Department
show that growers following the meth
DDS tested out here and proven 70 be
the best can attain satisfactory and
profitable results. Trial planting In
various sections OF this country has
demonstrated that many are too
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-04-08

IS the war affected the introduce
lion OF foreign plants for the
Easter sale2"
One OF the largest plant I'm.
porters In the East repeated the CUES.
ton somewhat Indignantly. well. I
should say II has. Look at that" and
he drew into his hand cluster OF
green shoots appearing through the
heart OF an early spring plant. These
have no right there. That head should
be q close-knit mass of white blossoms
This condition indicates delay in
transit and the shooting OF the foliage.
thus preventing the full towering OF
the plant.
We Must Grow Our Own Flowers.
Yes. the Easter lily has suffered
with the other spring boomers al
though coming. as IL does, from an
other direction than the war-stricken
gardens OF Europe its plight Is not SO
bad az some OF the other bulb plants.
This war and other conditions have
shown us that we must grow our fiow-
ers At homo. and II Ia being proved
that we can do 10 II we must
The Department OF Horticulture has
demonstrated conclusisc,y that in the
matter OF Faster lil.ss. ~ we'll as In
that Of other bulbs used IA great guam
titles 1t Easter. the sol! ard climatic
conditions in some portions OF the
United 6tAtes are better adapted to
tho growth of the Easter lily. and
what are generally termed Dutch
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-04-08
will probably take on more solemnity.
Origin OF "ECg Rolling"

Tho egg rolling custom had Its
origin In the north of England. where
1t still exists to a certain extent. 1t
Is customary for boys to be- the eggs
on Easter Eve. They are then hard
ened by boiling and tinted with the
juice of herbs. The eggs being thus
prepared. the boys go into the fields
and roll them up and down the slopes.
Sometimes they are hidden and there
is merry time hunting for them.
Prizes are often given to the boy who
finds the greatest aumber. After the
ga me is over the eggs are given to
the poor people who enjoy feast. A
survival of this custom still exists In
America when on Easter Monday the
children gather on the White House
lawn and roll eggs up and down its
slopes frequently hiding them in the
shrubbery. At Newcastle upon-Tyne
&ans covered with gold leaf are some
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-04-08

zenith century in France men set out
to search for the largest eggs In the
country to be brought in as a tribute
to the king and all the farms were
ramsacked in scare. Of eggs. At the
conclusion OF High Mass in the chapel
OF the Louvre. lackeys brought pyra-
mids of gilded eg~s into the cabinet
and placed them in baskets. The
chaplain then blessed them and they
we're distributed in the presence of
the king to all the persons about the
court. In some parts of rural France
the priest still goes round among his
parishioners to bless their homes at
Easter season. In return he receives
eggs both plain and painted People
coming back from long journey al
Easter always bring coiored eggs to
the children: whenever possible they
have the eggs blest before giving them
out.
German Customs
Germany has many beautiful East.
er customs in connection with eggs
They are coiored for the children who
enjoy both the egg rolling and the
l.
times instead OF eggs at Easter m
emblematicai print Is presented to a
friend. One of these is preserved In
the Print-room of the British Museum
Three hens are represented as uphold.
ing basket in which there are placed
three eggs ornamented with repre-
sensations illustrative OF. the resur.
rection. Over the center eggs the
Agnus Del with a chalice representing
Faith: the other eggs having the EN-.
blems OF Charity and Hope. Beneath
Is the following verse:
All good things are three.
Therefore present you three Easter
eggs.
Faith and Hope. together with
Charity.
Never lose from the heart
Faith to the Church: Hope in God
And love Him TO thy Death"
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-04-08

ceding year. The second years crop
of bulbs OF that size, whether from
seedlings or from bulbs. II has been
$4,000 an acre.
of course. results In bulbs OF an in
ferior grade. The Department has
found It difficult In soma cases to have
its instructions carried out to their full
length In Easter lily culture. for when
the lily comes In flower twelve months
before planting the seedlinga. the
price offered by retail florists for the
blooms II q temptation hard to resist.
Those florists who have grown the
seedlings for the bulbs alone are more
than pleased with the results.
This has been done in the neighbor-
hood of Santa Ana. California. where
the soil and climatic conditions are
very favorable. Some OF the plants
raised there had twenty or more
flowers on a stem. AT Yuma. Arizona.
the growth made from mature bulbs
was good. and bulbs may be grown
there to mature quite as early as
those from the Bermudas.
Although enough has not been done
In an experimental way to ascertain
all the localities where lilies can be
grown successfully. the Department Of
Agriculture states that the lily seed
lings have shown great vigor where
the winter temperature does not fall
below - degrees Fahrenheit Below
that point the plants get a check TO
their growth and tho foliage puts ON
an undesirable yellowish tinge which
remains during the winter. In many
parts of California. especially in the
hot interior valleys. where good soil
and plenty OF water are available and
the winter temperature Is not too low.
the seedlings thrive well.
To lend variety to the fioral display
at Easter many Towering bulbs are
forced to bear their blooms to honor
the day OF Resurrection. Most OF the
Easter towering bulbs In general use
are imported from Holland. Belgium
and France, ahd war has affected their
import for this seasons blooming to a
considerable degree. In some OF the
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-04-08


~AsTER has always been consid-
cred by the church as a season
Of great festivity. During this
~ period many of the pre-Chris-
tan customs come into play having
been consecrated in the early days of
the church. The use of eggs in con-
nection with the feast Is of the highest
antiquity. the egg having been con-
sidered in widely separated pre-Chris-
tan mythologies as symbo, Of resur-
rection.
Long ago eggs were held by the
Egyptians as q ,acred emblem of the
renovation OF mankind after the
Deluge. Indeed. from the remotest
ages the egg has been looked upon as
a symbol OF creation or new birth.
According to the Persians the world
was Matched from an egg at thar sea-
son of the year which represents the
vernal equinox. Hence the Persians
always exchanged gifts of eggs during
the spring season when their New
Year festivities were enjoyed, This
festival lasts several days. They be-
lieved that the vernai equinox was
the triumph of the Sun of nature and
the egg meant a renewal of life to all
things just as the Christians celebrate
Easter as the triumph OF the Saviour
Of the world over death by His Resur.
rection. Among the Jews the egg en-
erred into all the mysterious eere-
'monies called apoealyptie and oc-
rupied prominent position on the
household table during the paschal
season They believe them to be
symbolic OF the renewal OF life.
In the early days the feast of eggs
was sometimes continued for many
DAYS after Easter during which time
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-04-08

international syndicate.
d game called the sport OF eggs was
played This was a common custom
with the early Christians OF Mesopo-
ta1lia. Long before Easter the eggs
were collected and stained red In
memory OF the blood of Christ shed at
the time of His Crucinxion.
Origin or who's Got The Bully"
The stained eggs were sold IN the
markets by peddlers along the streets.
The sport consisted OF striking one
egg against another and the egg that
breaks first is won by the owner OF
the egg that struck 1t. hmm ediately
another egg Is pitted against the win
ming egg and so this went on till the
last remaining egg wins all the others
which their respective owners have
won. This game Is clearly tho origin
of the sport INDUCED in at the present
time when the boy goes forth and calls
out who's got the bully" and when
he finds a boy with an egg the eggs
are pitted together in order to find
out which she'll will break first The
the egg whose shell remains Arm.
Blessing Egga
In Rome prior TO the nineteenth GEN.
Jury the heads OF Catholic families
sent out large baskets of hard boiled
eggs to church to have them blest.
which the priests do by saying certain
prayers and making signs of the cross
over them. after which they are
sprinkled with holy water. After the
ceremony was over the eggs were
counted as record was kept Of the
number OF eggs blest by each priest.
These biest eggs were said to have the
virtue OF sanctlfying the entrails OF
tho hpdy and upre ha tho HrSs Pa
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-04-08
0a~TeI S0ecZ27e1
n/Nr2c~1CH1 GralH2
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districts OF Europe where dowertns
bulbs have been a main source Of In
dustry and income. the bulbs have
been fed to the stock and the ground
planted to yield food products. =.
other sections the cultivators are u
the trenches, and these factors, AAeHa
with the difficulty in ocean Transports.
ton due to warning conditions, have
all had their share In creating . short
age in foreign bulb importation.
Aims To Keep Millions At Home. ~
For several years the Department
OF Agriculture has had the desire r.
keep the millions which are annually
sent abroad for dutch bulbs'' within
its own borders, and its efforts show
that they can all be grown succoa-
fully at home. Tulips in variety con
be successfully grown In commercial
quantities in many sections Of the
United States. and the tests - tar
show th,t American-grown tulips are
superior in strength and coloring -
those grown from imported bulbs
Hyac!nths, originally imported from
Southern France. are now extensively
grown on the Pacific Coast and On
Puget Sound. The results obtained
give promise OF the State Of Washing
ton being able to produce hyacinths
OF very good quality. quite equal ~
those grown In any foreign country.
Tho dainty tonquii and narcissuss
which rival one another In popularity
at Easter for use In the decoration Of
churches and homes and are used r.
a great extent a. corsage bouquets
can be grown here easily a. in their
native European soils. and produce
better results. Many sections have
been found favorable to their culture
and they are now being grown ~
large quantities in Rhode Island for
the. Northern markets. and IN vir-s
ginia and Southern States for their
nearby trade.
1t has been foun,. that the United
States will produce better and health-
Ter plants and yield larger and cartier
blooms on longer and stronger atera4
In the case Of both the jonquil and -
narcissus than can be grown i ~
Netherlands.
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-04-08
TIE ReE/
o1T2IH<

take It for granted that these weak
lings have been grown from imported
bulbs" said Mr.. Oliver.
The experiments undertaken in vari-
Gus sections Of tho country BY the De-
partment Of Agriculture have shown
that the best results SO far have been
attained on the Pacific Coast: also
that homegrown bulbs from home
grown seed yield the best plants.
Portions OF the coast lands Of Calf
fornia present nearly ideal conditions
for the culture Of the Easter lily.
Some time ago large number OF
seedlings were grown In the Depart
ment green houses. From these sew
eraI pounds OF seed resulted. This
was distributed on the Pacific Coast
and In Florida. The seedlings grown
in California showed conclusively that.
with careful treatment. FIRST class
bulbs can be grown at home. and the
plants are found almost free from dis
ease. A few plants show 1t here and
there In the nrst generation seedlings.
but in the second and third genera
lions 1t Is difhcult to ind an affected
plant.
These results. begun under the
auspices of the Department of AEri-
culture. have been 80 encouraging to
practical men on the coast that sew
eral are now engaged in getting up a
stock OF seedlings on a large scale:
and the Department Is encouraging
their efforts In every possible way. so
that the Easter lily>plant may be prop
agated satisfactorily and probably in
the United States.
Profits From Easter Lilies.
It has been calculated that 10000
salable bulbs. ranging In sire from
three to ave inches In circumference.
can be grown on an acre Of ground
from mother bulbs planted the pre-
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-04-08

for eggs and announcing their pres
ence by, means of ciapper so that
the door may be opened to receive
them. II no eggs are given piece of
money Is acceptable. At Wilmslow
an old rhyme was used in begging
for eggs:
"Please Mr.. Smith,
Please give us an Easter Egg.
II you do not give us one.
Your hen shall lay an added one.
Your cock shall lay a stone"
There was a curious custom In
medieval churches for priests and
choristers to Join In a game of ball at
Eastertide. when hard boiled eggs
we're thrown from one to the other In
the nave of the church while an an
them was being sung. A missed egg
meant smashed egg and after a time
4 rubber ball in the shape of an egg
was substituted.
During he earl part of the eight
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-04-08

times presented to the children.
In North Wales the children still
go from house to house from Monday
to Saturday preceding Easter begging
Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-05-02
MARION AND VIENNA PROPOSED
SCHOOL MERGER is DEFEAT.
ED BY VOTE OF 100 TO o5.
COUNTRY VOTE DEFEATS
PLAN FOR GRADED SCHOOL
Proposal to Consolidate Carries in
Green Mountain by 80 to 2-coun-
try Vote Against Consolidation, 90
to 6s-Plan Was to Consolidate Eight
Districts, School at Green Mountain.

Voters of Marion and Vienna town
ships in the vicinity of Green Noun
tain have again, turned down a pro-
posal to consolidate school districts
and build n graded school. At an cleo
ton held in Green Mountain Tuesday
Afternoon the proposed TO consolidate
eight independent districts was beaten
by vote Of 100 to 50. The districts
outside Of Green Mountain voted to .
against the consolidation In town the
vote was nearly unanimous for con-
Solida ton.
The vote in the country was IS to g.
against consolidation, majority of 33
against it. In the town the vote was
80 for and . against consolidation a
majority of IS for consolidation
\ great deal of interest had been
aroused by the movement and the
election was spirited. 1t was said that
probably every vote that was against
the consolidation was polled.
The proposal was to consolidate dis
tr!cts Nos. !. .. 3. 5 ard Marion town.
ship, and districts Nos. :, and vi
emma township. 1t was proposed that
the building should be built at Green
Mountain.