The Fiddler's Secret

by Lois Walfrid Johnson

  As you read about Pa and Libby, Caleb, Jordan, and Peter, what does being in a never-give-up family mean to you?

  Let’s Talk About … Belonging

  If you’re with a group of kids and they leave you out of something, is it always bad? Why or why not?

  If you see a shy person who needs to be part of a good group what can you do about it?

  Why is it important for friends to talk about things that are important to them?

  How is being part of a never-give-up family like belonging to God?

  Let’s Talk About … Hearing God

  As Libby watched to see when it would be safe for Jordan to leave the Christina, a man on the boiler deck spoke to her. (ch. 14) How did he describe himself? What did he regret about his life?

  What did he say he should have done? What did he tell Libby about Jordan?

  When Libby wondered if she could trust the man with Jordan’s life, she asked the Lord to give the man a good plan. What happened?

  Let’s Talk About … Knowing God

  What special gift did Pa give to Libby? (ch. 15) Why was it so meaningful to her?

  When Libby reads her mother’s Bible she discovers that Romans 8:28 was not only important to Pa, but also to her mother. What special prayer had Libby’s mother written in the margin of her Bible?

  When Libby admits that she’s not very strong, what does Caleb tell her?

  Before Pa left St. Paul, Annika told him she would know if something happened to him. But now Pa senses that something is wrong with Annika. (ch. 15) How did God help Captain Norstad know that he needed to pray for her?

  The Bible tells us about the greatest Freedom Seeker of all time. Though Jesus never sinned, He loved us so much that He came to earth to die on the cross for each one of us. Because of His life, death, and resurrection, we can ask Him to forgive our sin and to be our Savior and Lord. That’s His promise of John 3:16.

  What did Peter believe would happen to him if he died? (ch. 16)

  Libby asked God to help her give Peter hope: “In that still small voice that Libby was learning to recognize, she heard the answer: Get Wellington.” How would you describe a still, small voice?

  On Thanksgiving Day, what was Caleb most thankful for?

  Let’s Talk About … Digging deeper

  The Minnesota History Center in St. Paul offers a wealth of information and photos. Go to www.minnesotahistorycenter.org. In the search button enter oxcarts, red river trails, or other topics that interest you. See also www.mnhs.org for a timeline of Minnesota history and additional topics such as the teacher Harriet Bishop, Joe Rolette, and Minnesota Territory.

  In an encyclopedia look up the Emancipation Proclamation issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863. What effect did this proclamation have on the rights of slaves and the outcome of the Civil War?

  Look up the Constitution of the United States, Amendment 13. What rights does this amendment give?

  See also Amendment 15. What does the word suffrage mean? How did this amendment change the right to vote?

  Let’s Talk About … Being a Freedom Seeker

  How have these four characters changed during the series? What were they like when you first met them? What are they like now?

  Libby

  Caleb

  Jordan

  Peter

  If you could be a character in this series, which one would you want to be? Why?

  As you think about the Freedom Seekers and what they did in this series, what meant the most to you?

  Find a part of the series that you especially like. Copy your favorite paragraph here.

  On Thanksgiving Day, the never-give-up family gathered in the Christina to celebrate. As the fiddler talked about the freedom he wanted for his family, he told Caleb, “As long as there are people who rob us of freedom, there need to be others like you and Libby, Jordan, and Peter.” Franz looked around the room. “People like all of you who work to keep freedom for others. You are Freedom Seekers.”

  As the fiddler’s music soared around them, Libby understood: Live freedom? To be strong enough to let myself be free? That’s what it is! To believe, truly believe, that no matter what happens to me, God can work in everything to bring something good.

  In what ways do you want to be a Freedom Seeker?

  Thanks for being my friend through books.

  With warm best wishes for your life,

  Lois Walfrid Johnson

  Deuteronomy 31:8

  A Few Words for Educators

  Dear Parents and Educators,

  The six novels in The Freedom Seekers series offer an excellent way to gain a national view of the political climate in 1857. In that critical period in American history, steamboats carried immigrants to newly opened land. Rivers were the highways of the time and the mighty Mississippi a well-traveled route. In spite of danger, injustice, and the possible loss of all they had, people of many faiths, rich and poor, slave or free, worked together for what they believed about the rights and freedoms of individuals. In life-or-death situations, children, teens, and adults built the Underground Railroad.

  As I returned to this series to write study guides, I was struck by the similarities between then and now. Though we live in an age of countless breakthroughs, some things have not changed—the need to value and uphold our American freedoms, the need to cherish human life, the need to stand for what we believe. Even as we had overcomers then, we have Freedom Seekers now.

  The Freedom Seekers series also offers tools for teaching topics that help our growth as individuals. Libby, Captain Norstad, Caleb, Jordan, Peter, and their friends face questions that are still crucial today:

  Who can I trust?

  What do I really care about?

  What does it mean to be a never-give-up family?

  How can I live my belief in the freedoms established by our founding fathers? See the Declaration of Independence. See also the Constitution of the United States, the first ten amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, and also Amendments 13, 14, and 15.

  In what ways do I need to recognize the Lord’s leading in both daily and life-or-death situations?

  What practical skills should I develop?

  Why do I need to put my faith in God?

  How can I live with biblical principles and values?

  How can I make choices based on those principles and values?

  And how can I encourage others to do the same?

  The Freedom Seekers series weaves together fictional characters with carefully researched people who lived or were known in 1857. Each novel stands alone but is best read in sequence to see the growth of characters and relationships. One character, Peter, who is deaf, joined the Christina family in the fourth book.

  With these novels, you have had the opportunity to talk with your students to enjoy reading the story before answering questions. Thank you for doing that and for enjoying the novels first before starting the study questions and other activities.

  In this, the final novel of the Freedom Seekers series, topics are organized in sections such as talking about the story, making choices, thinking about what is important to us, what it means to be free, discoveries we make, hearing and knowing God, and following His leading. You will see that a deeper level of communication is often needed for the never-give-up family to grow togther. The series and the study guide end with thinking and writing about what it means to be a true Freedom Seeker.

  I suspect that your own love of reading has been one of your strongest motivators for encouraging others to read. I trust that you have not only passed on that love, but also the discerment that follows so that it has become an important gift you offer the children and young people you influence.

  May each of you also be blessed by continuing to grow in your walk as a Freedom Seeker called and anointed by the Lord.

  With warm regards,

  Lois Walfrid Johnson

  The Fiddler’s Secret Folks

  FICTIONAL CHARACT
ERS

  LIBBY NORSTAD: When she met Annika in the Mysterious Signal, Libby gained a new friend—a friend who immediately recognized that in spite of the scruffy clothes Libby wore, she is a girl. Now, as she faces the terrible possibility of having to live with Aunt Vi again, Libby comes up with a solution. Pa could marry Annika! And Pa seems to like the idea too. But will Annika ever become part of Libby’s never-give-up family? The biggest obstacle might be Libby herself!

  CAPTAIN NATHANIEL NORSTAD: Owner of the Christina, Pa’s caring heart keeps reaching out to others. Yes, he loves Caleb like a son. He understands Peter’s need for a family, and looks out for the well-being of the passengers who board his steamboat. But can Pa’s great skill at the wheel of the Christina rescue them from a storm that grows worse by the minute? Can he and his crew possibly reach safety from the ice that would close them into Lake Pepin for an entire winter? And what will happen to Annika if they don’t get back to St. Paul?

  CALEB WHITNEY: In the Bible Caleb was one of the twelve men sent by Moses to spy out the land of Canaan. Biblically, he stood in the right place and gave a good report. As a Freedom Seeker, Caleb is well-named, a leader who also stands in the right place. An Underground Railroad conductor since the age of 9, Caleb is faithfully strong—helping Jordan, his family, and other fugitives pass through the Underground Railroad to freedom. Caleb hides his feelings and will not lie, even when cruel slave catchers question him. But what is the one thing that causes Caleb to lose his cool? Why is that one thing so important in Caleb’s life?

  RACHEL (GRAN) WHITNEY: Caleb’s grandmother. As the chief pastry cook for the Christina, Gran is the go-to person to supply food and special care when needed. And yes, Gran is even known to feed stray dogs such as Wellington.

  JORDAN PARKER: Though sold to the cruel slave trader, Riggs, Jordan managed to escape. A strong Christian, Jordan hears the Lord extraordinarily well. In good times and in difficult, he sings spirituals that inspire those who hear but also give direction for what they need to do. When Jordan explores St. Paul to see if the city would be a good place for his family to live, a free black named Mr. Thompson challenges Jordan by asking, “Are you free to live?” What does it mean to be free to live? How will Jordan’s important choices deal with that question?

  MICAH PARKER: Jordan’s father—merciful, caring, tall, exceedingly good with horses.

  HATTIE PARKER: Micah’s wife, Jordan’s mother, and a strong pray-er for her family.

  SERENA: 11 years old with dimples in her smile and a warm heart, Libby’s good friend.

  ZACK: 8-year-old brother, who now has time to fish.

  ROSE: Jordan’s 3-year-old sister, born during the time the roses bloom.

  PETER JAMES CHRISTOPHERSON: Ten years old, blond, blue eyes, looks like a younger Caleb. Already Peter is part of the Christina family. But Wellington—a yappy orphan dog named after the Duke of Wellington, is another matter. It took three tubs of soapy water before a discovery—Wellington’s coat of hair is the same color as Libby’s hair! And Peter has taught the dog to obey secret signals. Libby loves Peter like a younger brother, but if she and Pa adopt him into their family will Pa still love Libby the same way?

  ANNIKA BERG: How can Annika be so wise? Yes, she’s a teacher, but still—She wants to marry a man of God, and wouldn’t Pa qualify? When Annika knows that God wants her to stay in St. Paul for the winter, it could mean something really awful—that Pa, and Libby, and the entire Christina family will never see Annika again!

  FRANZ KADOSA: Fiddler and concert violinist, quiet and sincere, he knows what he wants, but remains a mystery. Young and slender, with long, dark hair and a mustache, he sets the deckers to dancing, yet plays extremely difficult music for the first class passengers. Who is this fiddler? Why does he answer to his first name, but not his last? Why does he wear ragged clothes when he plays a valuable violin and is a truly great musician? One thing sure—the fiddler has a secret, all right! Could it be a secret that all of us need to know?

  VI THORNTON: Libby’s aunt. What terrible misunderstanding does she cause now?

  OLIVER WHITE III: A tall young man with brown hair and blue eyes, he wears the finest suit of clothes that money can buy. Introducing himself as Oliver White the Third, he asks Pa to introduce him to the lovely lady Annika. “We both like music,” Annika says about Oliver. But could Oliver White the Third ruin Pa’s life?

  SUSPECT #1, SHADOW MAN: The tall man in a long black coat and black hat, first seen at the fiddler’s concert in the main cabin. He seems to melt into the shadows next to a pile of stacked chairs.

  SUSPECT #2, MAN WITH SLICKED-DOWN HAIR: Short and thin, he wears a collar so high that he seems to have no neck. Threatens Jordan by saying he knows his slave owner, Riggs. What’s more, he’s going to tell Riggs where Jordan is. Where will we find this high-collar man again?

  SUSPECT #3, MR. TROUBLE: When Libby sees him on the first-class passenger deck, he is tall with brown hair, blue eyes, and cruel lines around his mouth. Why is he set on finding Libby’s drawing of him?

  MAN TRYING TO SELL the VIOLIN: Tall, brown hair, blue eyes, violin bruise below jaw line, good looking gent.

  RIGGS: Oh, no! The cruel slave trader shows up again? Still a threat to Jordan and his family?

  MR. FLETCHER: Long-time pilot on the Christina.

  ARTIST: You’ll find his completed painting at the end of the tenth Northwoods novel, Disaster on Windy Hill. Why does his art say something important about Caleb? And about Libby?

  WELLINGTON: A scrappy Irish terrier, bred to dig and yap, an orphan dog rescued by Peter, and named after the Duke of Wellington. But Peter teaches him secret signals. Do you suppose that someday Peter may need help from Wellington? And what might happen if Libby, who strongly dislikes the dog, would ever need to be rescued?

  SAMSON: Libby’s Newfoundland, a model dog in comparison with Wellington. Black coat with white patches on nose, muzzle, chest and tips of toes.

  HISTORIC CHARACTERS

  This series is a place where you can bump into all kinds of famous people …

  DR. HORATIO NEWHALL: Peter’s doctor at the Marine Hospital in Galena, Illinois. Long before Peter’s need for medical care, Dr. Newhall started the first store for selling medicines in Illinois. He also started the first newspaper in Galena, the Miners’ Journal.

  LEWIS and CLARK, ZEBULON PIKE: Explorers known to Peter through his lessons at the Illinois School for the Deaf, Jacksonville.

  JAMES THOMPSON: Interpreter with the Indians for an early missionary who bought Mr. Thompson’s papers and set him free. A carpenter of well-built houses in St. Paul, Mr. Thompson told Jordan about the work of Minnesota Democrats and Republicans to bring the Territory to statehood. “The new Republican Party wants to give us colored men the right to vote,” he said. Jordan found those words hard to believe, and kept thinking about Mr. Thompson’s challenge: “Living in Minnesota Territory is like living anywhere. If you let yourself be free, you will be.”

  HARRIET BISHOP: In 1847 Harriet left her home in Vermont and traveled by steamboat up the Mississippi to what became Minnesota Territory in 1849 and the state of Minnesota in 1858. She was St. Paul’s first public school teacher. Her book: Floral Home, Or First Years of Minnesota.

  JOE ROLETTE: A trader from Pembina who brought his furs by oxcart from near the Canadian border to steamboats in St. Paul. Also the representative who stole the bill to move the Minnesota capital from St. Paul to St. Peter, and then hid out in a hotel room to prevent passage of that bill. Representative Rolette used sled dogs to come to St. Paul in winter.

  For more about Minnesota’s historic characters see www.mnhs.org.

  THE STEAMBOAT CHRISTINA: The steamboat owned and operated by Libby’s father and named after her mother. With the exception of the sidewheeler Christina and the James Mason, the steamboats in the FREEDOM SEEKERS series are historic.

  TIME PERIOD: August 17 through Thanksgiving, which was celebrated on December 10th in 1857. Spring, 1858
.

  Acknowledgments

  While writing this series, I’ve received many heartwarming letters from you, my very special readers. Often you’ve said that these novels have changed your life.

  Usually you begin by telling how much you like to read about the excitement and suspense of the Underground Railroad. You talk about Jordan’s courage in working for the freedom of his family. You mention Libby, Caleb, Pa, Gran, Peter, or the free blacks and whites who risked their freedom, reputation, and property for what they believed.

  Then you say, “There’s something I’ve wondered. If I had lived in 1857, would I have been one of those who helped runaway slaves reach freedom?”

  Your question is an important one because you are really asking, “Would I know what I believe about the important things going on around me?” Then, “Would I have the courage to act upon what I believe?”

  You might find the answer by asking still another question: “How do I treat the people who are around me now? My family; people of other races and ethnic groups; the kid who is being picked on by bullies; the boy or girl who dresses in a way that’s different from everyone else; or the person who is hungry?”

  Jordan wanted a home where his family could live safe and free. The fiddler wanted a place where people would be kind to his family. Isn’t that the same love and kindness that each of us needs to receive? And every one of us needs to give?