Into the Mountains

Into the Mountains and

Stealing Janet's Cattle

Two Short stories by D.M. McGowan

Into the Mountains by D.M. McGowan

How do you save your family when they are faced with hate and racism on all sides? How do you avoid fear every minute of every day?

In the years following the North West Rebellion of 1885 many Métis "disappeared" as many went into hiding to avoid racism and mistreatment. Admittedly, some like Gabriel Dumont went south of the 49th parallel into the US. What happened to the rest?

The North West Rebellion of 1885 ignited and fuelled emotions in all those groups who populated the west. It didn't matter if the group was Métis, Canadian Militia, North West Mounted Police, white ranchers, farmers or townsmen or one of the many indigenous tribes --- there was more than enough hate, fear and anger for everyone.

The population of Métis suddenly decrease dramatically. They suddenly "disappeared" as many went into hiding to avoid racism and mistreatment. Admittedly, some like Gabriel Dumont went south of the 49th parallel into the US. What happened to the rest?

Almost a century later, upon recognition of their status by the Canadian Government, and their obvious mistreatment by a majority of all Canadian citizens, Métis suddenly appeared as individuals and communities throughout the West. Perhaps "Into the Mountains", fiction though it is, supplies some explanation.

Métis, North West Rebellion, Edmonton, North Saskatchewan, escape, racism, fugitive, Canada, prairies, North West Territories, Peace River Country, new identity, Hiding, running from hate, fear, escape to exile, retribution

Stealing Janet's Cattle.

A young mother, wife and daughter managing the ranch by herself. When she eventually finds her stollen cattle she realizes that a male rancher would only have to worry about being shot. However, she has a job to do and she will do it no matter the consequences.

The west was big and it took big men to build it and none of them did it alone. All of them had big partners, the vast majority of them big women who might, at first appearance look slight and dainty but they were capable of whatever it took to make a plan work, build a business, or create a family.

Across the west of the late 19th century are stories of women left to work a business, enterprise or service by themselves and achieving remarkable but undocumented success. Usually, they started out as someone's partner but for a variety of reasons, temporarily left to deal with the home business due to other demands, left alone due to the death of a partner or simply permanently abandoned by a partner weaker than herself. Regardless of the reasons and the hardships they faced, with a partner or without, they made it all work and build lives that grew into the diversity that exists in today's North America.

Rocky Mountain Foothills, Cattle, Ranching, motherhood, theft, firearms, ambush, male domination, expectations, family, domestic duties