Kaidenberg’s

Setting

Saskatchewan 1907

Jakob Feist

German-speaking farmer; 19 years old; forced from South Russia for South Dakota

Kaspar Feist

Jakob’s father; blacksmith; hot-tempered

Bernhard Holtz

Feists’ enemy; barrel-shaped; drunkard

Uncle Sebastien

Jakob’s uncle

Anton Feist

Jakob’s younger brother; died of pneumonia in 1904

Magda, Johanna, Adam

Feist children

Margaret

Jakob’s mother; has a strong faith

Werans, Eberles

among fourteen families that left for Canada in 1905

Aunt Helen, Mary, Ignaz

Uncle Sebastien’s wife, toddler, and baby boy; Jakob’s cousins

Juniper

Kaspar’s horse

Gutenbergs, Gereins

other families that relocate with the Feists

Mr. Dudenhafer

eyeing the same quarter as Kaspar; gives it up because he has a family; plays the accordion

Mr. Zerr

eyeing the same quarter as Kaspar; it’s next to his brother Nicolaus

Christian Holtz

Bernhard’s brother

Claudius Volker

Bernard’s cousin; drowned in a well playing hide-and-seek at the same age Anton did; Kaspar’s fault?

Juckerspiel

trick-taking game; similar to Ukrainian Kaiser

Johannes Gutenberg

Kaspar’s friend

Nels Eberle

Aggie’s husband; Katherine’s sister

Aggie Eberle

Nels’ wife; mother of four sons, one of which is Lambert

Katherine Weran

Nels’ sister; 21 years old; first child is due before May; hardworking

Frank Weran

Katherine’s husband; “sits on his hands until the very last minute “; loud and aggressive

Kasimir Weran

Frank’s father

Peter Eberle

Nels’ older cousin; 21 years old; had jaw broken and teeth knocked out in horse accident four years ago

Joseph Eberle

Nels’ cousin; talkative; always smiling and laughing

Mr. Landgraf

Aggie’s uncle

Karolin Landgraf

the Landgraf’s youngest daughter; almost 17 years old; only child living at home; everlasting smile

Margaret Dudenhafer

girl Joseph wants to marry

Johannes

Katherine’s father

Teresa Weran

Frank’s sister; mouse-like

Konstantin and Johanna Eberle

Peter and Joseph’s parents

Barbara and Magda

Peter and Joseph’s sisters

Karl Ziegler

foreman from Baden, Germany; laid rail through the Rocky Mountains, fell broad trees, and built wide bridges; taken to concentration camp

Adolfa

Margaret Dudenhafer’s sister

Father Selz

minister; barely 30; boyish good looks; passionate about photography and new technologies; enjoys Charles Chaplin

Mrs. Stolz and Mrs. Zerr

mothers in Selz’ congregation; consider new inventions the devil’s tools

Father Trimbach

Selz’ friend from seminary; landed in Boston together; skeptical about films

Fredrich Gerein

one of the picnic organizers; organizes family contests (tug-o-war, three-legge race, cards/gambling)

Andreas Stolz

talent show organizer

Mr. Ball, Mr. Fetsch, Mr. Zahn

donates prizes for contest winners (soda), children (gum), and the raffle (rifle)

Mrs. Gutenberg

one of the caterers for the picnic

Elisabetha

Bernhard’s 3-year-old daughter

Peter and Markus Holtz

Bernhard’s older brothers

Scratch

the kitten Bernhard brings Katherine and Frankie

Charles Harrison

elevator agent; interested in Katherine

Markus Zerr and Anne Dudenhafer

married couple; Katherine and Mr. Harrison met at their wedding

Annaliese Reichert

Jakob’s crush; 18 or 19 years old; Leo’s daughter; near Crane Hills

Stefan

Andreas Stolz’ son

Henry Sutherland

Peter’s friend; brawny, 18-year-old with widowed mother, younger sisters in Vancouver

Cormac Gallagher

Peter’s crew’s veteran lead topper

Thomas Spence

Peter’s crew boss

Logan MacNair

newest topper on Peter’s crew: war veteran

Mr. Leahy

owner of main office; hands out wages and mail

Ludwig Gerein

died of the flu

Steven, John, Helen

Peter’s nieces and nephews

Geraldine

dark-haired, green-eyed prostitute