She Could Hardly Believe Her Eyes

(This story has been excerpted from a longer story submitted by the family of Konon Washkevich to the Starting Anew Project, a Centennial Collection of Immigrant Stories from Central Alberta).

I, Konon Washkevich, was born in 1902 in White Russia, the nearest village being Laskowo.  At that time, all government was under the laws of Russia and the ruler was Czar Nicholas.

When I reached the age of seven years, my parents sent me to look after cattle on a public pasture.  This was a standard procedure for the children of that time, boys and girls.  Most people owned one cow (and were fortunate to have this).  Livestock was pastured along the roadsides, or on public property.  No one owned enough land to have their own grazing land for even one cow.

In the years from 1914 to 1920 the various armies of Russia, Germany, Austria and Poland battled over this territory.  Livestock was butchered, houses were burned, and men and boys were commandeered to transport supplies.

We had travelled a distance of about 150 miles when one night we managed to leave our wagons and escape.  On one side of the stream the Russian army, and on the other side, the Polish.  My neighbour and I spent twelve days and nights hiding in the woods.  We feared detection at every moment.  We lived by digging potatoes that were still in the fields.

In the year 1928 I went to a Jewish merchant to borrow money for my trip to Canada.

By the year 1934 I had been here alone for nearly six years.  Near Leedale I finally acquired some land, cattle, horses, ducks and geese.  When my wife arrived in Canada and I was able to take her out and show her how much land we owned, she could hardly believe her eyes.