Excerpts from the novel. go to https://www.larry-and-jan-chartrand.com for the complete novel
CHAPTER 1 The Diary Writers
Dear John:
“It was a pleasure to meet you when you came out to Lydia’s wedding five years ago, and we were glad to receive the letter you sent back after returning home.”
She pauses, as she immerses her self in deep thought and then looks up. Her pursed lips curl into a warm smile. She reads out loud as she continues writing.
“Here is a day to day record of the trip some of your ancestors took from Red Deer to Vermilion by wagon in the year 1906, along with a picture taken on the way. That’s your father Mr. Isaac Barnett in the wagon… and there you are Mary Barnett, sitting next to me and my mom. There’s your sister Eva. Over there is Arlie Barnett on horseback… and you are driving the wagon. Only your white hat can be seen. My brother Will is not here… He was probably rounding up the cattle as only a small portion of the herd is shown. The other picture was taken at Michel, B.C. about 1900.
“The boys farmed in the summer and in the winter went back to the mines. Will took off five crops from the farm in Red Deer. In the summer of 1904 our boys went to Vermilion to locate homesteads, then in June of 1906, Will, Mary, Eva… and I took the trip to Vermilion. Will returned that autumn and took off that year’s crop. Later John traded his homestead for Will’s interest in the farm at Red Deer.”
CHAPTER 2 The Letter
John is a tall man with blond graying hair. Now in his nineties, he is sitting on a slider rocking chair in a typical 2005 era senior’s room. At one end of the room sits a television set on a triple drawer maple wood dresser. John slowly rocks back and forth by casually straightening and bending his long legs. He pulls the letter closer to his eyes to read it. A table lamp throws a yellow light from over his shoulder on to the letter. He pulls out a photo from inside a coffee stained envelope sitting on his night table. His twinkling blue eyes stare at the photograph of the wagon train. Then he pulls out a second photo from the envelope. The photograph shows four young men sitting on wooden chairs on a veranda. He feels his soul catapulting back a hundred years. A time before his birth, to a different world of sorts, back to the spring of 1906.
CHAPTER 3 In The Beginning
Blackboards fill the front of a large room. At each side of the room are several rows of shelves filled from floor to ceiling with books. Windows continue from where the bookshelves stop, to the back of the room. A pot belly wood stove stands in the middle of the room. A black chimney reaches up to the twelve foot ceiling and then snakes it’s way to the front of the room and disappears through the ceiling. The smell of wood smoke lingers in the air from the crackling fire. Heat radiates from the stove. Early June in central Alberta has a chill in the air that is carried in from the Rocky Mountain glaciers that tower to the west less than a hundred miles away. Several rows of desks fill the room space, and a large desk is front and center. At the top right corner of the blackboard in large white letters is written
“JUNE 1, 1906. LAST DAY OF SCHOOL. HAVE A GOOD SUMMER.”
Chapter 4 Sweet Sixteen
There are two weathered note books on the coffee table and there’s an array of black and white photos of the long ago cattle drive.
“We were only sixteen.”
Mary exclaims, clasping and unclasping her hands as she speaks. She turns and faces Victoria as they both sit on the sofa. Victoria has a constant smile that enhances her bright shiny eyes.
“And plenty glad that school was out for the summer.”
Chapter 5 ON THE TRAIL DAY 1
June 2nd Saturday
We left Waskasoo on Saturday, June 2, 1906, about noon, with 110 head of cattle, two covered wagons, each drawn by a team of horses; and a couple of saddle horses. Had some difficulty in getting the cattle started. Three calves tired out before going far, so we put them in the back on one of the wagons. We lost Polly, one Will Anderson’s cows. Two of the men went back and found her without much trouble. Coming to the Red Deer River we got help from another man to take the cows across the bridge. They crossed all right but Hank, one of the Durhams, swam back across the river and two of the riders had to go and fetch him back. We camped for the night north of Red Deer. Mary and Victoria went back to the town to post a letter. The cattle got frightened at the trains so Mr. I. Barnett and Will Eyre stayed up all night and watched them so they would not stray away.
Chapter 6 Traveling On The Sabbath
June 3rd Sunday
Travelled all day. Mr. Eyre who had been helping to get the cattle started, went home. At eleven o’clock we corralled the cows and milked two that were not milked in the morning. Camped at Blindman River for dinner. Left about three o’clock. After driving about a mile and a half we came to the town of Blackfalls. Looking over the cattle we found that one was missing, so the two Barnetts went back for Sleepy Jane, one of Bert Barnett’s cows, while the rest of the party moved on. Going back about 10 miles they found the cow and brought her along. They rode into camp that night in time for supper. Will and Joe Anderson (a younger brother who accompanied us part way) got along well driving the cattle until they came to a slough, where Hank waded out into the mud and water, so Will had to pull off his shoes and sox and drive him out. We camped for the night some miles from the Blindman River. The men went to bed about 11 o’clock having agreed that Mary A. and Mary B. should watch the cattle until one o’clock, when one of the men should watch till three, then all would get up, milk the cows and continue our journey. But our plans did not work out that way. Mary A. Took sick about 12 o’clock, and going to the wagon she was surprised to find Eva sick. Mary B. went to the other wagon to call Arlie and found Joe sick, and later on, Will. Such a time as we had! We think it was caused from the water or some canned food eaten for supper. However they were considerably better by morning.
Chapter 7 Strays Or Rustlers June 4th Day 3 on the Trail
June 4th Monday
We made better time travelling today, having come about 16 miles. Passed through Lacombe about 10 o’clock, and camped this side for dinner. It rained hard for about two hours. Joe A. who had come this far to help drive the cattle, now left for home. Eva, who had been ill and not able to work for the past year, was very poorly on Monday. On coming through the bush, we accidentally got a half dozen stray cattle in our bunch. The men tried to drive them out but it was useless as they came back every time. The next house we came to, an old man accompanied by three or four of his sons came out and accused us of stealing his cattle and threatened to send the police. But finally the men got the stray cattle separated from the herd, and we proceeded on our way. We camped about half a mile from there. Mary and Victoria watched the cattle till the men had eaten their supper, then Will and Mr. Barnett watched them that night.
Chapter 8 A Brush With The Long Arm Of The Law JUNE 5TH DAY 4 on the Trail
June 5th Tuesday
Cattle restless as there was no good place to keep them. Rained in the morning, but later on the sun shone out warm and bright. At noon we stopped about two miles south of Ponoka and then corralled the milk cows. The cows were not milked this morning, so we had to milk at noon. Soon after dinner we started again. We reached Ponoka some time in the afternoon. Stopped a few minutes. The men drove the cattle through the town and our caravan attracted a good deal of attention. We had hardly stopped when the man with the brass buttons on his coat, and yellow stripes down his pants, came up to Arlie and asked him ever so many questions: Where were we going? What time did we pass through Red Deer, and Lacombe? His name, how many head of cattle we had and who owned them. He also took down the different cattle brands. We thought the man who had accused us of stealing cattle had reported us to the police. But the police did nothing but question us. We travelled on and camped for the night on the Indian Reservation. It must be mentioned here that Mrs. Barnett’s and Mary’s little pot pig died. It got tired of living, I guess, for it did not have very good care.
JChapter 9 Staying On The Straight And Narrow June 6th Day 5 On The Trail
June 6th Wednesday
We got along fine this morning, and camped at noon where there was nothing but prairie in sight. That afternoon we came to a narrow slough. Barnett’s drove across safely, but Will Anderson had driven only part way over when the wagon got stuck; the horses failed to go on, though we urged them all we could. There was nothing to do but unload the wagon. We unhitched the horses and began to carry out the stove, bedding, grain, provisions and all movable things. When the wagon was cleared we hitched both teams to it, for it had sunk deep into the mud. The four horses with some difficulty pulled it out onto the sod, where we reloaded and pursued our journey. Before going a mile Barnetts got stuck – but not so badly. Wednesday night we put the cows in a corral and as we are always glad to do when the hour hand is creeping up to 11 or 12 o’clock, we retired for the night.
Chapter 10 The Place Of Peace Day 6 June 7th
June 7th Thursday
A nice morning but about 11 AM the sky became cloudy and it began to rain. We camped about four miles from Wetaskiwin. Wetaskiwin means Place of Peace. It was here that a treaty with the Indians had been signed in the early days. Here Mary A. who happened to be driving their team alone, unfortunately lost sight of Barnett’s wagon. She unhitched the horses and tied them to the wagon and started to hunt for us. On going a quarter of a mile or so she became anxious about the horses, so went back, finding them alright, she again started out but soon met Mr. I Barnett looking for her. So the lost was found and we resumed our journey. It soon started to rain. It stopped long enough for us to feed the horses and eat a lunch ourselves. It rained all afternoon; and having several steep hills to climb, and the roads being in a very bad condition, the horses slipped so we had to double teams some of the time. There was one hill at least a quarter of a mile long, it was quite steep and being of fine yellow clay it was ‘slippery as grease’ as Arlie said. But by doubling teams we got along safely. At six o’clock we tried to get a stopping place but the unwelcome answer seemed always to be ‘try the next place’. Here we camped for the night, and Mary B. bargained with a little boy to borrow his small sister until autumn, but the little girl objected. We travelled about 16 miles that day and went off duty at seven o’clock.
Chapter 11 Trail Across Rails Day 7 June 8th
June 8 Friday
On Friday it rained until noon and then cleared up after dinner. No one has kept track of how many times we have left the railroad track but we must have crossed it a dozen times. Since Thursday we have been following a branch line of the C.P.R. from Wetaskiwin. About 11 o’clock we came to a little village called Rosenroll but did not stop. We also passed Bittern Lake which looked very pretty from a distance. Eva A. was feeling much better so she drove the team in the p.m. but its roads were very muddy and rough. In the evening we camped at the edge of a little town called Camrose. Nothing unusual happened except that we had to go about a quarter of a mile for water, and there we had to pay $3.00 for getting the cattle corralled for the night.
Chapter 12 Pushing the Limits Day 8 June 9th
June 9 Saturday
Very nice day. Beautiful scenery. The green grass that covered the ground was six or eight inches high and the many sloughs were covered with innumerable ducks. No ill luck came our way. The weather was fine and we considered we made fair time for it was near 11 o’clock when we started. About one o’clock we stopped for dinner by a little clump of bushes and near a pond. Soon after dinner we started on again and passed Lake Demay. The cattle make very little trouble now as they have become accustomed to being driven and they are generally quiet and willing to graze peacefully at night. One week ago tonight we were at Red Deer and now we are about 95 miles from there.
Chapter 13 Godspeed In Travel JUNE 10th Day 9
June 10 Sunday
Although we do not like to travel on Sunday, it seems almost necessary, for the cattle are generally restless by morning and are hard to keep together.Therefore we thought it best to move on. Today, in the forenoon the Barnetts were unfortunate enough to get stuck again. One of the back wheels went into the mud nearly as far as it could. We urged the horses on, but seeing it was beyond their strength, we doubled the teams and landed safely on the other side. The other wagon got across safely. We stopped about two hours for dinner and then traveled on until about seven. Camped near a farm house for the night.
Chapter 14 From Wagon To Chariot DAY 10 MONDAY JUNE 11TH
June 11 Monday
Leaving camp we had come about two miles when occurred a terrible catastrophe. We were going over a flat boggy place, Barnetts went first. Their wagon sank into the mud a considerable depth but by hurrying the horses they landed safely. Andersons were coming behind, quite unaware of the danger ahead. The horses were going at a moderate pace when the wagon began to sink. What could we do? We had no whip, and the horses refused to pull it out, for it was stuck fast. We aroused Eva from her sleep and all got out of the wagon, that the load might be lighter. Again the hind wheels were nearly buried. Mr. Isaac Barnett and Will Anderson took poles and tried to pry them up. After digging the earth away from the front wheels we hitched on four horses abreast and tried to pull the wagon out without unloading it. Mary A. and Arlie B. were driving and more than once was to be heard, “Gitup Bill, Barnie, Nellie, Nettie”, but the horses would not pull evenly. The whole four took a jerk at it one at a time so of course nothing happened. After resting a short time, the two teams, with renewed vigour, started to pull more evenly. Earnestly and faithfully did they pull. Then they all took all took a turn to the left and that decided it – in one moment – what had happened? The reach, or coupling pole, broke and the horses went forward with the two front wheels. But where were the hind wheels? Alas ! Our home was on it’s side in a mud hole. With a crash, everything: stove, beds, dishes, boxes, clothes, wagon-seat and some bread dough fell to the lower side in a heap. (be it remembered we had a hay rack on top of the wagon with a tent over it). Almost immediately we started to unload, make a new reach and straighten things up. It took a long time as Will A. had to go quite a distance to borrow some carpenter tools. On gathering things together we were surprised to find that with the exception of the stove and one cup, nothing else was broken. The stove can be mended, and considering what it has gone through, I think it must be made of good stuff, as more often than once coming over a rough place, the lids were shaken off. That night, as usual, we camped in the shade of some willows.
Chapter 15 Mooz On The Loose Day 11 June 12th
June 12 Tuesday
We got up about 3 o’clock am and were ready to travel by seven. We had been travelling for some time when the sky began to cloud over, the thunder roared and my, how it did rain! And the wind blew a terrible gale. This continued until about noon, when it cleared off and we camped for dinner. We had been thinking that we were getting along splendidly until about 3 o’clock we discovered that one of Will Andersons cows was missing, so Will started back to look for her. He did not return until the following afternoon. He had found no trace of her, but left word with a number of people to let him know if they saw the cow. We travelled 21 or 22 miles that day.
Chapter 16 Fresh Eggs In A Greazzy Skillet DAY 12 JUNE 13TH
June 13 Wednesday
We had a very hard road to travel on – principally hills and hollows. On one side of the road there would be a hole, on the other side, a rock. So it was no uncommon thing to have to hang on to the furniture While the wagon went bumpity bump over the rough road. In the forenoon we passed Lake Alice and in the p.m. Birch Lake which was very pretty indeed as there were innumerable green islands in it that would remind one of the Happy Islands which Addison speaks of in “The Vision of Mirza”. Although we did not have a hilly road in the p.m. it was no less stony than in the a.m. At night we camped once again in the open wilderness.
Chapter 17 A Full Bucket Day 13 June 14
June 14 Thursday
Once more we started on our way. We are all well except Arlie, who has hardly been able to get around for a few days. But we are generally ready to eat three meals a day. Each day we come nearer our Vermilion home. Anxiously we travel on, and if nothing happens to hinder us we expect to get there Saturday. We travelled about 18 or 20 miles today. The cattle came along fine except one, Hank, one of the Durhams, fagged out, so we left him behind until the next day when Mr. I. Barnett went back after him. He travels slow but is in the herd now and seems some better. Camped about 6 o’clock in the evening.
Chapter 18 Vermilion At Last But Not Home
June 15 Friday
Nothing unusual happened this morning. At noon we camped about a mile south of Vermilion, passing through the town in the p.m. We came down a steep rocky gully and there passed over the bridge of Vermillion River. On reaching the other side we had a picture taken of our caravan and the cattle. The road along the river was very sidling, and more than once we had to get out of the wagon and hold down on the high side. But we got on without accident.
Chapter 19 Three Wheeling
June 16 Saturday
Not Friday night alone but every night since we started on the road we have had a hard job to get any sleep, as it is generally about seven o’clock when we camp, then we have to get supper and then comes the awful milking. In the first place the mosquitoes are bad. The cow will not allow you to catch her until you have chased her through the scrub about half a mile. The calves all come bawling as soon as they see a milk pail. There is nothing to tie the cow to when you do catch her, and while she is being milked she tries to eat grass, but suddenly remembering her bag is sore she starts to kick. Long and at last you finish her and go to feed a calf. About a dozen of them come up at full speed – the first to get his head in the pail is first served, while the rest bunt it and the milk pail. Picking up the milk stool, picket chain, pail and picket peg, you proceed to capture another in the same manner; and this is the way we keep it up until the fourteenth is finished. So is it any wonder that the sun sinks and twilight falls long before we reach camp? Shortly after retiring for the night, Barnie, one of the blind horses, on losing track of Bill, starts whinnying for him. At last he finds him and once more peace is restored. It is probably about midnight when one of Mr.Barnett’s horses comes and rubs himself against the hay rack, so hard that it rocks and wakens the sleepers. It is then that someone calls out, “Bill, Bill, get out of that Bill.” But Bill continues to scratch as long as he likes. After the scratching operation is over we go to sleep again. About half past three we are awakened for the third and last time by hearing someone say, “Girls, it’s time to get up”. Arlie says it takes us half an hour to dress, so on Saturday morning after calling us he went back to bed. As it was only four or five hours before this that the cows were milked we did not think we needed to milk again so soon, so we fed the calves some milk that was left from the night before; and getting a five o’clock breakfast, we started on the road at six. As we had a good start, we thought to reach the ‘promised land’ that evening. But about two hours later we thought differently; for while going on at the same pace as usual, one of the front wheels of Barnett’s wagon came off over the burr, while the front part of the wagon suddenly dropped. They tried to fix it but it would not stay. So after considering for a while Arlie decided to ride on ahead and get his father to come and take their load, while Mrs. Barnett and Mary got in Anderson’s wagon. We camped at noon and ate our dinner, and the sun was burning hot. So far we have made good time, and we still had hopes of reaching our destination that evening; but soon after dinner Mr. Barnett came riding up and said we were going too fast for the cattle, partly on account of one of the Durham’s being lame, and on account of several small calves that were panting as hard as they could. The Durham became so lame we tethered him out and left him behind. Two or three hours later, the other Durham, Hank, was left behind. To show how things were scattered along the trail: First May, one of Will A.’s heifers: second: Froamy, another of Will’s cows: Third, Hank: fourth, Mr. Barnett’s wagon, and fifth, “Roosevelt”, the other Durham. It was about five or six o’clock when Arlie and Bert Barnett came back. Bert insultingly said we were a ‘bummy looking outfit’. We thought we were only about three miles from our destination but they said we were six or seven, so that meant we would have to camp once more. That night we girls slept in the wagon, for we had only one now, while Mr. Barnett and Will slept under it. Arlie and Bert got back about midnight with the other wagon.
Chapter 20 Home Sweet Home June 17 Sunday
We did not get up as early as usual because we were pretty sure of reaching our journey’s end that day. We did not do any milking as the cows had been milked late the night before. We thought they could wait till we got home. We had some sidling places to drive over, especially the ‘Hog’s Back’. It is a high hill and somewhat narrow on the top. But the men drove the teams over it safely. The first house we came to near home was Andy Bretts. Here we divided the cattle. We Barnetts came on to our homestead. We reached our new home about twelve o’clock, June 17, after being two weeks on the road. Will Anderson’s stayed at Bretts for awhile as they had no house up. We lived in tents about six months, too, till we got our log cabin built. So ended our long but interesting and jolly trip from Red Deer to Vermilion by country by wagon.
Chapter 21 Conclusion
Victoria and Mary are in Victoria’s senior lodge room. They again reminisce about their two week experience in the wilds of Alberta. They have seen many changes in the almost eight decades that have since past, but none had ever made bigger impact on their livers than those fifteen days.
THE END
Excerpts from the novel. go to https://www.larry-and-jan-chartrand.com for the complete novel
Larry Chartrand 