The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-10-31

HE ~ la SlANl
ner OF cooking utensils. and the bedding
and clothing were wrapped up In a
big bundle which they carried on their
backs.
The English colonists were greatly
| perturbed over this invasion. for they
had selected this place as suitable for
an English town. where English GUS
toms and society were to be started
The Russians. however. cared naught
for the English. and began to found
their own town Of Herxog. named for
a town In Russia from which they had
emigrated. They bought land adjoining
Victoria, and oon q Russian village
was under way. and queer shaped
tone and mud houses were built by
the score. The rivalry was sharp, but
II did not take long to show the En-
glish settlers that they could not COM
| pete with the Russians. and after two
| consecutive crop failures most Of the
members OF the English colony went
away.
A feeling Of desolation comes over the
stranger who happens to visit this lit
tie town. During the week IL Is de-
serted. but when Sunday comes II bus
ties with humanity-people come to
church. There are 300 houses in the
town, but when one drives into Its
streets, the solitude of the prairies
which surround IL becomes intensified.
No rush Of faces to the windows; no
idlers browsing in the shade of awnings
and gazing sleepily at you. as in other
American settlements. Not the neigh
OF horse. the bark Of a dog. not even
the laugh Of a child. Every house II
locked N barred. back and front. The
storekeeper Is In town, but there is ~
trade. and his front door Is locked. The
man Is asleep-the boys possibly in the
swimming hole. The town Is thus de-
serted from early planting in the spring
until the wheat has been threshed In
the fall.
The Catholic Russians. following the
custom of their fathers. live on their
farms during the spring. summer and
autumn. inc during the winter months
come to their villages and send the
younger children to school. the older
children remaining to AXE care of the
stock.
The largest building in Herzog is st.
Fideliskirche. the big mission church.
1t Is built of brown limestone. and.
from Its appearance. will Withstand the
assaults OF Kansas tornadoes and cy-
clones During week days the church
Is open, but there are no worshippers.
nobody at prayers. nobody seeking abb
solution. Everywhere Is h insignia
" tnt tuuitns tNtfytnluk u ifhBitcctd
with a cross. IL is uplifted above the
roof: IL hangs over the portal; one
comes vol II suddenly in an Enclosure,
where lie buried three priests who led
their lock hither from Russia. over
south of the church stands the parish
house. partly hidden by a clump of To-
Gust trees. over the door Is inscribed
In Latin from the psalm. "Beati, qui
habitant In domo tua, Domino" Here.
too. is the cross. One must touch II to
gain an entrance. for 1t Is the handle
to the bell wire.
The mission has two large school
houses at Herzog. The church. parish
house and school houses have cost over
$50, 900. There are 600 school children
In the parish under IL years OF age.
After ~. children no longer attend
school. From that age they work for
their fathers until they marry. Boys
usually marry at 20 and girls at IL.
When a boy marries his father gives
him a share of the estate according to
his means. from 40 to 100 acres. Girls
get no part of the parental estate: their
husbands are expected to support them.
There are from eight to 20 children I'm
a family. the average being about 10.
The country here Is healthy and the
Russians like IL. There is very little
sickness among them. As they prosper
and get money ahead they send for
their kinsmen in the old country.
II will not be long until the Russians
will be In possession of the arid dis
trict of Western Kansas. They know
better how to raise wheat tina Amer
leans. N they know % to save mon
ey and put IL into additional land. They
have made a wonderful record for pa
thence and ~frugality. and in the many
Russian settlements all over this region
prosperity and contentment prevail
TIE homes of these people out in the
country are low and squatty. but they
are storehouses of garden and field
products. A look into them Is almos,
equal to a visit to the land of Volga
Curious furniture, TRANCE and peculiar
garb. impress one that he Is in another
land and climate. Surrounding these
queer houses are heavy stone walls and
old country fencing. Barns and farm
ing implements are everywhere numer.
ous. blu the farming utensils are un.
der shelter n bright as new. while tn,
barns and bin are bursting with tn,
wealth OF previous years crops. Otter
in marked distinction to the American
neighbor, whose cribs are empty an
whose farm machinery Is sheltered b,
the broad canopy of heaven.
Herzog Russians and those of otheI
Western Kansas settlements are demo
Gratis. They hold the balance of powei
in Ellis county. and for 20 years nav
been able to elect the democratic coun
ty ticket. In 1883. the phenomenal re
publican year in Kansas. when Harri
son carried the state by 50, 900 majority
Ellis county stood firmly by the demo
cratic ticket. Democracy Is as firml,
~intrenched In the Russian heart as 1
the religion OF their fathers.-New Yorl