The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-12-22
DoukHoBoRS, STRANGE RUSSIAN SECT IN
CANADA, REAL AND ALL AROUND FARMERS

with. and the huge hand made brick
ovens in the great kitchens which
finish the Job up brown"
The Doukobobor is q champion dax
grower. Out Of the flax comes event
ually the mujik's linen blouse. the
woman's full gathered linen skirt. But
between the growing flax and the
woven fine linen of the Sunday gar
ment lies much spinning and weaving
in the winter.
The clean flax fibre, after its final
washing, is hung on the clothline to
dry. At this stage the flax very
strongly resembles wool and cotton
fibre in the wet state. Tho women
are particularly skillful hands at the
flax washing and drying. which re-
quires skill in the fine handling Of the
fibre. Once the flax is dry the prob
lem of smoothing out the snarls
proves too much for any but an old
hand. The old lady with her spin
ming wheel has the secret at her fin
get tips.
There is a Doukhobor device for
down a strong wire. anchored out In
water pail makes it's frequent slide
for life" The Columbia and Kootenay
are both made to give of themselves
after this fashion and help with the
irrigation of nearby fruit trees and
vegetables. In addition to these
hand made affairs the Doukhobors
own several heavy steam pumps used
for irrigation purposes.
Much of the success of the Douko-
Dor farms as q whole grows of the fact
that they are able to shift men from
one front to another as they are need
ed. Thus in harvest time men arc
drawn from the fruit farms of British
Columbia to the grain fields of their
prairie farms.
With the progress of the times new
houses are being built as Doukhobor
homes. Brick buildings in many in
stances are succeeding the wooden
onesSas they in turn succeeded the old
lath and plaster home of pioneer days.
Prince Albert is one Of the oldest Of
the villages at Verigin. The sides are
plastered or mudded. and are OF
marble whiteness from many coats of
whitewash. With new roof 1t Is
still a good house. The Doukhober
love Of color is shown in the bright
blue of windows and doors.
But from an architectural point OF
view nothing can beat the charm OF
the little one-story Old European cot
tage with it's mud walls and overhans.
ing sodded or matched roof seen at
Vernoe. One is struck by the re-
semblance of this roof to the French
habitant roofs of rural Quebec, and 1t
is evident that the early gallerie no
less than the French pioneer who an
tedated him in Canada by several
hundred years. These homemade
houses made over framework OF logs
appealed in the early days because
of their inexpensiveness. all being
made with material at hand. They ap-
peal today because Of their artistic
lines, etc., standing, too. as proof that
beauty in a house depends not so
much on money as on taste.
The Doukhobor women can be seen
sitting on a handmade bench in the
large room of their community house.
They call this room 'the church. It
answers more closely to our idea Of
parlor or living room-a place to meet
the family and receive callers. Meals
are served to visitors In Church.
But 1t Is also entire family gathers
here to pray and sing their wonderful
old chants. AS rule, Doukhobor
women wear kerchiefs over their
heads, but when at home, they remove
the plotok and then their close-shav-
en- heads are revealed. The floor Of
the church" Is usually bare, but this
must be from choice since the Douk-
hobor women weave very handsome
rugs, and we have seen several hand
some Turkish rugs owned by them.