By Lois Ruby

Dana Shannon (main character, present)

Mrs. Shannon (Mom)

Dr. Shannon (Dad)

James Weaver (main character, past)

Millicent Weaver (Ma)

Caleb Weaver (Pa)

Rebecca Weaver (Sister)

Jeep Ahn Sally Derek Mike Gruber

Jeremy Macon Will Bowers Dr. Baxie Sherriff Samuel Jones U.S. Deputy Marshall Fain

Present Time: Dana’s house on Tennessee

St. in Lawrence, KS

Past Time: James’ house (same location)

Nonviolence (Jeremy Macon/Beecher’s

Bibles vs. James Weaver/Quaker Beliefs)

Parenting Skills (Shannon’s vs Weaver’s

parenting skills)

(Present Time)

Dana & Mom are tearing down ugly

rooster wallpaper

As they tear down the paper, they find a

secret room

In the secret room, there is a SKELETON!

(Past Time) The Weavers are introduced– They are Quakers Millicent Weaver is helping slaves get to freedom

up north/Canada Her flag is up – this lets slaves know this is a safe

house ; Dad is not home A wagon appears with slaves hidden underneath

a blanket. She feeds them and allows them to stay.

She tells them not to tell her their names • “If I don’t know thy names, why, I can’t say for sure thee’d

been here, anyone come asking”

(Present Time) Dana’s mom calls 911 about the skeleton

– police arrive quickly (Officer Burney and Office Wyles) to take pictures and collect evidence

County Coroner (Dr. Baxi) shows up to examine the skeleton.

Dr. Baxi invites her to the coroner’s office for the autopsy. (not actually viewing it but standing outside the office)

(Present Time) As the officers are working, Dana sees

something drop down to the floor – a small black book • She decides to keep it

Dana hints that she has found something but does not tell her parents (p. 18).

Dr. Baxi believes the skeleton was a fugitive slave who died 130-140 years ago • Identity and death are UNKNOWN

(Past Time) The Weaver’s sit and eat breakfast with the

slaves They discuss how Border Ruffians from

Missouri (slave state) opposed of the Kansas Territory becoming a free-soil state. • Kansas Territory wanted to be Free-Soilers, but the

Border Ruffians “stuffed the ballot boxes”, making it look like more Kansans were proslavery.

This caused border skirmishes which they called the Wakarusa War (named after the river that ran through Lawrence, KS)

(Past Time)

Jeremy Macon tells James about the Sharp’s

Rifles, also known as “Beecher’s Bibles” • Rifles were shipped in book boxes on barges up the

Kansas River

• Henry Ward Beecher said “a rifle’s a higher moral

power so far as these proslavers are concerned.”

James’ Conflict: the Weavers are Quakers

and do not believe in the use of violence

(Past Time)

James’ Ma put James, Rebecca, and the

slave family to work

His Ma tells Rebecca and James to keep

the slaves a secret – don’t tell ANYONE

including PA!

She makes them place their hands on the

bible and swear.

(Present Time) Dana and her friends sit around the cafeteria

table talking about the skeleton Dana and Ahn name the skeleton Elvira Lincoln Jeep is upset because the way they are talking

about the skeleton (who was a slave) Later at home, Dana opens the black book and

reads the first entry. • The book belongs to Millicent Weaver

Dana decides to tell her parents she has found the black book and promises to give it back by July 1

(Past Time) James’ Pa (Caleb Weaver) returns home Rebecca almost slips up about their guests

(slaves) Mrs. Weaver lies and says the neighbors

came over with bread n’ butter pickles Pa doesn’t believe this, so he takes James

outside and asks what really happened • James’ lies and says he’s been “working on his

studies” at Jeremy's house; therefore, he doesn’t really know

(Past Time) Ma and Pa get into a heated discussion

about slavery • Although they both do not agree with slavery: Pa

believe in following the law while Ma believes in doing the right thing, regardless of the law.

James’ Internal Conflict: What is the right thing to do? Get involved (Beecher’s Bibles) or to stay to true to his Quaker beliefs.

(Present) Ahn stays the night at Dana They go to the secret chamber to look for clues They hear footsteps and hide

• It is Dana’s Parents

• Dana’s Parents hint that IF the children are in the room, they should get out because it is ILLEGAL to be in the room.

They stay in the room until it’s safe. • Dana’s Parents are hiding on the floor.

• Dana and Ahn end up stepping on them and getting caught (they did not get into trouble)

(Present)

Dana shows Ahn the black book • She reads an entry about an old man/slave

showing up at the Weaver’s door.

• This upsets Ahn who didn’t know that such things

took place in the US

(Past Time)

James, Jeremy Macon, & Will Bowers are

in town and see men on Mount Oread

(which looked over the city)

U.S. Marshall William Fain comes down

and warns the boys that the men are

looking for “Slave Stealers”

(Present Time) The Shannon’s find out from the library that

Caleb Weaver, a lawyer, built their house in 1856 • No information on Mrs. Weaver was in record

Dr. Shannon guesses the family were Quakers They pass Edmund Wolcott’s limestone castle,

built in the 1870’s • Edmund Wolcott was a cattle baron

The castle is going to be torn down due to its poor condition (broken windows, missing chunks of limestone)

(Present Time) Dana reads an entry from the black book:

• Mr. Weaver will be representing Barnaby Watts, charged with helping slaves escape

• Mr. Weaver is torn: he is against slavery but believe in upholding the law

• This upsets Mrs. Weaver – she believes slavery is wrong, regardless of the law

Dana reads the next entry which appears to be written several weeks later: • May 21, a fire swept through the house…

(Past Time)

The Border Ruffians from MO on Mount

Oread come down the mountain • They have a canon “Old Sacramento” aimed at the

Free-State Hotel

• 30 cannonballs later, the Free-State Hotel still stands

• Eventually, it is taken down with 2 barrels of

gunpowder placed in the basement

The Weaver’s buried anything of personal

value in a box in the back yard

(Past Time)

The me of Lawrence prepare to battle the

Border Ruffians

Sheriff Samuel Jones, a resident of MO

but the sheriff of Douglass County,

decides to fight with the Border Ruffians

(Present Time) Sally, Derek, Ahn, Mike Gruber, and Dana

are watching Freddy (Horror movie) • Ahn is not scared – states the bones in Dana’s house

were scarier

They discuss how Dana’s house was burned down in “The Sack of Lawrence” -- most of the town was burned down in 1856

Dana states her house was also burnt down again 7 years later during the Civil War by the Confederates

(Present Time) Later, Dana stays at Ahn’s house

• They read several entries in the black book Congress refused to accept Caleb’s Constitution

Rebuilding the house

Ma asks Mr. Madison to build a “good-sized closet” in the north bedroom where James can play his violin

Ma and Pa are getting along better now that they’ve put their business aside (writing constitution; helping slaves)

EVERYTHING CHANGES! A young lady shows up at the door while Caleb is away – even though no flag is hanging. She says she will never make it to Canada, but she’s meant to help others on their journey. Elvira is here!

(Past)

Elvira’s name is really Miss Lizbet Charles

Miss Lizbet is not like most slaves James has

seen – she is well-spoken • She is helping around the house

Ma has agreed to teach Lizbet to read &

write • Her presence makes James uncomfortable/upset –

things were just starting to get better at the house

(Past) James argues to Ma that Lizbet needs to

leave • Ma says she stays

Lizbet is a great storyteller!! • A slave gets in a box and ships himself to

Philadelphia – traveled 26 hours Lizbet states, “Black folks find all different

ways of following the drinking gourd” • The Big Dipper (NORTH STAR at handle) Slaves follow the north star to know they’re heading north

for freedom.

(Present Time) The kids are returning from a dance – had a

live band Derick asks Mrs. Shannon, “How’s the dead

body?” • “Still dead,” she replies

Dana shares that Elvira’s real name is Lizbet Charles, and she was a conductor on the Underground Railroad (making 8-10 trips) • Conductor lead slaves to the north

(Past)

Lizbet and Mrs. Weaver are arguing

about bringing “pilgrims” into Mrs.

Weaver’s home • Mr. Weaver will be home soon, so Mrs. Weaver

needs Lizbet to leave

• They agree as long as Mr. Weaver is home, Lizbet

will stay in the small room upstairs (secret

chamber)

(Past)

Lizbet begins telling a story about Ms.

Ellen Craft, a slave who’s father was white • Ms. Craft disguised herself as a male plantation

owner, and her husband, Mr. Craft, as her

manservant

• They escaped for freedom by traveling on the

train system

• 3 boats and 5 trains later, they reach

Philadelphia

(Past) President Millard Fillmore sent 600

troops to capture Ellen and William Craft They flee by boat to England James asks Lizbet if she had any children

• Lizbeth shares she was married once but lost her husband before they could have any children

• She begins telling the Weavers about her husband, Matthew Luke Charles (a man with 3 first names)

(Present)

Dana, Jeep, and her friends are at the mall

Jeep is reading the black journal • Lizbet remains hidden while Mr. Weaver is home

• Lizbet tells stories:

Bog who fakes a seizure and is sent to jail but escapes for

Canada and is now living free

Uncle Mose sells for a mere $200 but is rescued by 25 Free

Soilers on horse

Mrs. Weaver collects these stories to share with Caleb one

day in hopes he will understand her actions.

(Present)

Jeep is upset about what he read

Dana asks Jeep what would he had done

if he was alive then? • Jeep states he wouldn’t have been a Martin

Luther King

(Past) Mrs. Weaver fixes a picnic, and suggest that

the family go out for the day, but the real reason is so Lizbet can get out.

Ma says Pa’s incorrigible. • Mrs. Weaver starts to bring up the “Negros”, but Mr.

Weaver stops, and she lets it go. The family goes to visit the Olneys, friends

from Boston who recently moved to Kansas. o Dr. Olney has a hired hand named Solomon Jefferson

who is a free black man, who cools off Thunder.

(Past) A slave hunter shows up and to take Solomon

back to Macon, GA. o There is a confrontation and Solomon almost used an

ax on the Slave Hunter, but his Quaker background stops him from doing it.

o Mr. Weaver tells Solomon, “I’ll do everything I can to get thee out again.”

o Mr. Weaver gives Solomon Thunder so he doesn’t have to walk.

(Present) Dana, Ahn and Jeep go into the tiny

room were Lizbet’s bones were found. • Jeep wants to go into the closet that was

Lizbet’s room to “feel it pumping”, like the Heart at the Museum of Science & Industry in Chicago.

• He investigates every inch of the small room, and lies on the cot as well as under it.

Jeep declares, “She died in this room.”

(Present) The boys talk about what they want to do

when they get older • James realizes his dream to become an architect. • James pictures how he would design the front

door to the New Hotel/ Back in town James and Jeremy witness a

bony old bull staggering down the street looking delirious. • Bethany’s father comes out and shoots the bull • James is left wondering if he would have the

courage to do the same thing.

(Past) Mr. Weaver is gone to Missouri to try and get Solomon

back • Rebecca is done with the fever • James spots a prairie wolf with a dead rabbits carcass in

it’s mouth. Mrs. Weaver has James, from Lizbet’s instructions, go

out and pick indigo plants to use as a medicine for Rebecca o Lizbet sees James looking in the mirror at his freckles, and

tells him he could get rid of them by smearing manure on his face, James cried “Oh,” and ran out of the house.

o James has to drink the indigo tea before Rebecca will.

(Past) James and has friends Jeremy and Will are

talking about the cattle drive of Texas Long Horns passing through town on their way to Kansas City Stock Yards.

They talk about the cattle caring ticks that cause “Texas Fever”, and how their cows will become infected.

(Past) James and has friends Jeremy and Will are

talking about the cattle drive of Texas Long Horns passing through town on their way to Kansas City Stock Yards.

They talk about the cattle caring ticks that cause “Texas Fever”, and how their cows will become infected.

(Present) Dana is at home alone when a big

storm is happening. She thinks of the song “Ding Dong

the Witch is dead” as the rain pounds on the roof.

The tornado siren sounds and Dana heads for the, with a flashlight and M&M’s, basement.

(Present) The storm passes and Dana, very

relieved, scurries out of the basement and views the aftermath of the storm.

Ahn calls and tell Dana how scared she was during the storm. Dana says, “Oh you get used to it.”, while not admitting to her own fear

(Present) Ahn said that maybe Lizbet could

have died of fright during a storm like this while she was up in the attic. Dana disagrees, and tells Ahn after all she went through she hardly thinks that the noise from a tornado would even bother her.

The chapter ends with both girls still puzzled about how Lizbet died.

(Past) August 1856, Seems like everyone is sick in Lawrence.

o Rebecca is getting better o Dr. Olney believes that “Quinine” is the cure, but the

Weaver’s know it was the Indigo Root that saved Rebecca

Mrs. Weaver is making soap from ashes o James remembers the sweet smelling soap they used to buy

in Boston

Although a storm moving in, Miz Lizbet says she needs to leave for Missouri to pick up more runaway slaves.

(Past) A wagon train of settlers going to Oregon on

the “Oregon Trail” comes into Lawrence. • James helps a woman from the Wagon Train, who

is having a baby by getting Dr. Olney.

• The Maxwell’s joining the wagons and going to Oregon, and Bethany gives James her cat, Trembles, to take care of for her.

• A wagon pulls up to the Weaver’s caring runaways, Mrs. Weaver tells them they can’t stay there.

(Present) Dana and her friends are just sitting around

in the hot summer heat complaining about nothing to do to, and really not wanting to do anything in the heat anyway. • Jeep gets dropped off and joins the group,

complaining about having to babysit. • Jeep has been hanging out with the brothers,

friends from his church, and spending a lot of time at KU library. He tells them he has a lot to tell them from his investigating.

(Present) The group heads to Long John Silvers to eat,

where Jeep tells them about Theron Trowbridge, a deacon from Iowa, from a long time ago. • Theron would help the runaway slaves by feeding

the dogs the slave hunters used to chase down the slaves balls of fried cornmeal laced with strychnine to hush the dogs – “Hush Puppies.”

Jeep tells the group about the typhoid fever epidemic in Lawrence in 1856 -1857 -- he was sure that is what killed Miz Lizbet.

They make a pact not to talk about the diary or anything in it again until the 4th of July.

(Past) September 1856 Will comes up to James wearing Levies, red leggings, and a

gun (Jayhawker). • He is going to fight with John Brown in Osawatomie, city in Kansas that

John Brown used for his Headcounters.

• James is upset with this and finds it hard to see his friend off. James talks with his Pa about John Brown and violence.

• Mr. Weaver tries to convince James that John Brown has it all wrong, and that violence won’t solve anything.

• Mrs. Weaver gets drawn into the conversation and they both try to convince James that the violence is a bad thing.

Mrs. Weaver tells the story of the slave Hunter in Worcester, Massachusetts, and how they used nonviolent tactics to run the guy out of town.

• He told them how the surrounded the guy, but never laid a hand on him, and followed him all day and never stopped asking him to leave.

(Past) September 1856 James is awakened by a bright light in the

middle of the night. It’s a prairie fire! • The family works hard to stop the fire. They talked

about “fighting fire with fire.”

When it’s over and James collapses into bed, Rebecca asks him if “Thee was a hero out there?”

As he is falling asleep he hears her ask “Was thee scared out there?” to this he replies “Rebecca, thee must learn to fight fire with fire?”

(Present) Dana’s quest to get inside Walcott Castle seems to be going

nowhere. o Her father refuses to let her inside the building because it is unsafe.

Dana is forced to go to California to visit her cousins there. o Her cousin Tonia plays the melting “Wicked Witch of the West” from

the Wizard of Oz, while in line for a ride at Disney World o Dana’s mother said that she would rather travel to the Black Hole of

Calcutta or the Bermuda Triangle, before returning to visit the relatives in California.

Dana reads the Mrs. Weaver’s journal some more on the plane ride home. o She reads about Solomon’s return from Missouri o Dana gives the journal to her father for him to read, which he does right

up to the last blank 20 pages. o Dana laments she will turn the journal over to Dr. Baxi

(Past) November 1856 Mr. Weaver returns home while both Solomon are staying at

the house. Marshal Fain makes another visit.

o The Marshal questions them about Solomon and says he has heard reports of another black women making repeated visits to the Weaver’s house

o Mr. Weaver argues the morality of the law that requires runaway slaves to be returned to their slave masters (Fugitive Slave Act)

o The Marshal threatens the Weavers by telling them if they are hiding runaways he will catch them

Before the Marshal he gives a letter to Mrs. Weaver from her mother in Boston, which tells of her father’s stroke. o Mrs. Weaver and Rebecca return to Boston o Miz Lizbet leaves for Kentucky

(Past) November & December 1856 James and his Father are left to fend for themselves while Mrs. Weaver is

off to Boston. James has to help his friend Jeremy and his father slaughter hogs so they

will have meat for the winter. o James dreams of the Christmas Ham o James gets sick after witnessing the slaughter of a hog o He thinks back to the Hindu man he knew in Boston who was a vegetarian and

thinks maybe he should become one. James and Pa have dinner at Dr. Olney’s

o They discuss how the typhoid fever goes around o James teases Solomon about Miz Lizbet o It is decided, because he is sick from typhoid fever, will stay with Pa and

James, and they will take care of him. o This concerns James; he just can’t see how he and Pa alone can tend to sick

Solomon on their own. Miz Lizbet returns to the Weavers while Mr. Weaver is gone

o She also is sick from the typhoid fever o Even though she is sick she tends to Solomon along with James and the house

(Present) It is the wettest summer in Kansas since the 1850’s

o Dr. Baxi comes to Dana’s house to report to Dana on the “remains”, of Miz Lizbeth’s

o Dana laments to think that Miz Lizbet is reduced to the status of remains o They talk about the technology used to check the bones, and reports that the

victim was not poisoned or died of any drug ingestion. Dana’s mother comments “Aren’t we relieved to know that she wasn’t a junkie, 135 years ago.”

o Dr. Baxi reports that her death happened somewhere between 1855 and 1860, and that she died during an intensely cold winter and a very dry spring.

o Finally he gives his hypothesis that she died of typhoid fever Dana calls her friends and tells them “I’m cancelling the pact,” she

tells each of them “Miz Charles is back, and we are putting her to rest.” o Dana and her friends hold a candle light virgule in the little room where her

remains were discovered, as a funeral for Miz Lizbet.

(Past) December 1856 James was holed up in the house with Miz Lizbet and Solomon during the winter

storm Pa was gone o Pa returns home to find Miz Lizbet at the house, and he welcomes her. o Miz Lizbet explains it was not James’s fault she was there, but rather she just

kept coming back o James tries to tell his father he didn’t mean to lie to him o Pa tells James not to fret, he knows it was Mrs. Weavers wishes. He states “Thy

mother is a resolute woman. The day we married, she promised to love and honor, but not to obey.”

On the 10th of December Marshal Fain returns with a group of Border ruffians. o He says he knows there has been a Nigra woman who came to the house, but

no one has seen her leave. o The Marshal is suspicious because of the way the house looks, and say “looks

like a woman’s touch. o He threatens Mr. Weaver, and so he is asked to leave following a brief

exchange of words between the two. o The Marshal leaves behind several Border ruffians outside the door to keep an

eye on the house. James thinks to himself, “These are the kind of Men Will Bowers was out hunting

down.”

(Present) With Lizbet Charles officially dead, Dana devises a plan to break

into the Walcott Castle with Ahn and Jeep. o Dr. Baxi class Dana and thanks her for giving him the journal. He also

tells her that he gave it to the Douglas County Historical Society to display in their museum.

o Dana, Ahn, and Jeep break into the Walcott Castle by climbing up the huge Elm tree next to the castle and Ahn, because she’s the smallest crawls through a broken window and opens it to let the others in.

o The climb the stairs to the tower and discover the red brick walls have gold stars painted on them and an ancient telescope pointed out the window. Ahn says, “That’s to find the North Star.”

They go back down the stairway of the tower to investigate Mr. Walcott’s bedroom. o Jeep falls through a trap door on the balcony of the bedroom and into a

deep hole beneath it, but catches the floor boards to keep him from falling into the dark pit.

o Dan rescues Jeep and they leave the castle.

(Past) December 12, 1856 Jeremy Macon brings a letter to the Weaver’s from Mrs.

Weaver telling them that Grandpa Baylor has passed. She tells them they will be coming home after the funeral. o James remembers his Grandpa Baylor, and thinks about the

sketch of his grandfather’s dog he drew for him when he was still back in Boston.

o He remembers his grandfather telling him what a great piece of work it was and how he should never think it’s not.

o Grandpa Baylor then shows him the pictures from the book in his library, of Michelangelo’s painted ceiling in the Sistine Chapel in Rome to inspire James.

o Grandpa Baylor said he would take the sketch to his grave, and James thought he would never know if he did or not.

(Continued) A day or so later Pa leaves to go town to see if there is any more news from

Mrs. Weaver, and to get another cot so Solomon could sleep next to Miz Lizbet up in the little room. o He has a little confrontation with the Border ruffians watching the house. o He tells them “Pity thee can’t come in and have a hot cup of sider next to the

fire. Marshal Fain would not like that.” Miz Lizbet is sick and it appears she is dyeing

o James and his father struggle over what to do. Do they send her out to die or do they let her stay, and rick being discover.

o Miz Lizbet tries to give James the journal Mrs. Weaver had given to her, but James says his mother would want her to have it.

James contemplates going over to the Macon’s and get a gun and shoot the ruffians.

Miz Lizbet dies and they build a wall to close off the little room with her body still in it. o The journal is left in there as well, and that is answers the mystery of why the

last 20 pages are blank.

(Present) On the Fourth of July they had a celebration commemorating the

restoration of the Walcott Castle, on the grounds outside the front of the Castle. 600 people who paid $100 t0 $1000 were on hand, along with the Governor.

While the ceremonies were going on Jeep sits down on the ground leaning up against the big Elm tree. o He sits on something hard, and when they clear the grass and the dirt away they

find that it is a stone memorial commemorating Miz Lizbet Charles and her husband Matthew.

The inscription on the stone said: Buildings Crumble,

But leaves and grass are eternal. I plant this tree in memory of

MATTHEW Luke Charles And

ELIZABETH CHARLES April 20, 1877 J. B. W./amen