By Ben Castleberry - age 10

The door knocker clanged. Zillah opened the door. There stood a soldier! The soldier had markings of war, scars on his face. He stepped inside and rattled off his name and his mission. His name was Yale. His mission was to collect as many young men as possible. He wanted to take them to an army base, get their army gear, and march off to war. He wanted to take Linus! Zillah led him into the small kitchen and offered him a seat. Then she went to the small bed chamber. She told Linus about the soldier.

Two hours later, Zillah found herself packing her brother's belongings. Linus, her only brother was going to war! She finished packing, and lugged the heavy trunk to the kitchen. Linus gave her the metal box. It contained five francs. "Always keep this under lock and key," he said. He hugged her goodbye, and then he hoisted the trunk onto his shoulder. Zillah handed him Father's silver watch.

"Goodbye," she said softly.

Tears clouded the brown eyes of Zillah that night as she sat and watched the moon reach the middle of the sky. She sat up half the night praying and thinking. Zillah's parents had died ten years before, when she was seven and Linus was nine. Her mother, Dora, had always taught her to call upon the Lord in the day of trouble, and He would help you. Softly she sang: I Will Call Upon the Lord, a favorite song of her father, Kelsey. She thought and thought, and finally the Lord gave her an idea. She needed some money and she was good at washing. She would be a wash woman!

The next day was still dark at 5 a.m. Then Zillah tumbled out of bed, and began to start washing the week's clothing. She was done in no time (since there were not Linus' clothes too). She walked up to an old house and knocked on the door. The door swung open and there stood a young lady.

"Hi!" said Zillah shyly. "My name is Zillah Elwood. Do you have any clothes to be washed?"

"Yes, I do. You may call me Victoria Morley. I will pay you two francs a week."

"Thank you," said Zillah, and walked to the next door.

Here I must leave Zillah and go to Linus.

Linus was marching 600 miles to an army base. He and all the boys who were forced into the army agreed that they were not looking forward to fighting. Their captain stopped at a tavern. A man came over and struck Linus in the face. Linus saw his chance to tell the police about being forced into the army. The police just said that he was sorry and rode off.

Meanwhile Zillah was falling in love with Graham Horace. She had talked the situation out to Rex Horace, his father. Graham liked pretty Zillah, and Zillah was impressed.

Before I forget, Zillah had a new lady to wash for: Yvette Thompson. She was a hard customer because she was "fashionable."

Zillah was pressing clothes when the door knocker clanged. It had been five years since Linus left. She opened the door and gave a shout of joy. There stood Linus! She threw herself into the arms of Linus. "You're home! You're home!" she cried.

"Yes," said Linus weakly.

Zillah noticed the young man's health condition.

"Linus, you must go to bed. I will get some catnip tea for you to drink."

After giving him the catnip tea, she boiled water in the kitchen. Then she poured it into the wooden tub, then told Linus it was ready. She began to scrub the bedroom floor, while Linus bathed. After awhile Linus appeared, much better. Zillah noticed although Linus was handsome, he had scars on his face.

The next day, Zillah wanted him to meet someone. She took him to an old house and knocked on the door. The door opened and there stood Victoria Morley. Linus bowed and asked if he could do anything for her. She laughed gaily and said to look at the house. Linus took one look at the house and began to work, making it a pleasant place to live in. After this service, Zillah took tea at her house. Two months later Victoria heard a knock on the door. She opened the door and saw Linus. Linus bowed and came in. He asked her to marry him. She seemed pleased. On their wedding day Zillah was sure that Kelsey would have been pleased.

After the marriage came the question of moving. Linus and Zillah's humble quarters were too small. Linus asked Victoria if Poland was a nice place.

She said "Yes! Why?" (They lived in Denmark.)

"Because we are moving there!"

They began to pack the next day. Linus was getting the horses when the telegram came that Graham Horace was dead! Zillah wept over his grave.

So many hard things had happened that Zillah thought that she could never bear it. But God helped her through it all. Linus, Zillah, Victoria, and Rex Horace were all at the train station. Then the smoking, belching train pulled up. Rex Horace helped Zillah up the steps and Linus helped Victoria up the steps. Goodbyes were said, and the train carrying Linus, Zillah, and Victoria, pulled away. Zillah watched their homeland disappear and new strange land appear. A wave of loneliness swept over her. She looked across at Linus. Their eyes met. She held his hand. On the other side she saw him holding Victoria's hand.