Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1908-06-25

You may always see plenty OF
prairie-chickens in the Doukhobor
villages of Saskatchewan. In Febru-
ary. 1907, they became eXtraOrdinar-
lily numerous in Paravgrad, an outly-
ing hamlet. One morning the pretty
birds were strutting on almost every
eartn-covered, grass-grOwn roof, and
picking in every straw-littered yard
among the domestic fowl. So the
gentle vegetarians of Paravgrad
knew that many wolves must be
ranging the neighboring scrub
prairie.
The winter had begun very cary
and brought uncommonly deep snow.
No January thaw lessened the accu-
mutation. 1t lay SO dry and Hight in
the forest, northward and eastward,
that wolves could not catch their
usual prey.
Out on the great plains the snow
was packed closely by the wind. In
February starving hordes came out
of the forests, and scattered in small
bands over many leagues of prairie.
Paravgrad village consists Of forty
log cabins ranged in parallel files,
twenty on each side of the street AS
protection against wolves, the nam
let was fenced all round with barbed
wire. Its strands passed from cabin
to cabin, and were clouted on the
corner logs The fencing was impene-
trable by wolves, but only five feet
nigh. Wolves might jump over it.
There was not gun in Paravgrad.
Doukhobo- religion prohibits taking
animal life Pitchforks were plenty,
Dut no man CT woman there would
use one as weapon. These people
are consistent with their creed to a
oegree inconceiyable to any person
VINO does not know them. They
would think it blasphemous to kill
chicken foT broth for a sick per-
son. They will not kill or trap rats
But they stop up rats holes If the
sermln then die, these casuists say,
mat Is the will of God"
Ihey pamper all their domestic
men and women have often drawn
p!oW, narrow Or wagon-to rest their
nofses. They use steam and gaso-
i'ne motors in agriculture as much as
posalole, 10 spare animals from labor.
wolves would not leap over the
iaFaVsrad fence in daylight. But
.1ey might come over at night, un-
less ll We're heightened In that case
'ne STOCK animals would be safe, be-
,ause Under cover. But what of the
'0'oFed p"airie-chickens, peculiarly
uear to the villagers. because their
mere presence certified Paravgraders
~ ~ pe KIND and devoted vegeta-ians
nee oifcs will not go unde., roofs
"' hlgnt. They then shelter them
1''es Ii straw or snow on the
sfount. II wolves came over the
aenc7 a.! they might kill God!
cliclze2s.'
,u. ms IeaT cutie appalled, the youns
,o'aers Vianov.tcn, Simeon an,
:-0AN' so frightened were they tha
:! .lVS resolved to drive seven miles tt
Ae ~, railway fag-station of Pc o1avsko
, aate trains pass bi-weekly, for
9.5-i- r.:r oad of barbed wire, enough i
'SIse tie village fence two fees more
49, ~ the wolves said the elders.
s:,, dIa1 must be as God WILL" sal
n.. 1e2-it is right to go Tor th
wire said Alexis.
II 7y,c
,oos:s was perceived that they had g
.eaains- " Still, a good deal Of corn
as5 ~ was impaired to them Dy th
nS r,uSss' IN consequence, they reache
lo,- 1:1Eo t. ABOUT noon with sleigl
a. anIy packed with straw, a lc
tbo ',o@ety twisted straw ropes, an
49, "Aole coTercd with quilted be,
eaAfortcrs. ~