St Josephs College - Footprints Yearbook (Brooklyn, NY)

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The Captain drafted a treasure map With a cross where the treasure lay, And back they rowed to the waiting ship, And sailed ere break of day. Then from the woods stole a dusk}- form. For two eyes had watched that night, And an eager heart had waited there Till the ship was out of sight. A fire of wood and thatch he made And, facing toward the sea An oath he swore for his well loved tribe. For a chieftain brave was he. Strange powder he cast into the (lames, And strange words whispered low. And a spell he cast where the treasure lay That only he could know. And never a white man coming there Could raise by the strongest pull The treasure buried by Captain Kidd When the August moon was full. The wind was high when they sailed away. The Captain and his men. And every man of them was dead Ere he ever returned again. ' Tis said two men with a treasure map Discovered where the box was hid, But both fell dead in the full moon ' s light By the spectre of Captain Kidd. Many have come all filled with hope To find where the treasure lay ; And all who came with empty hands Empty-handed have gone away. Two hundred years and more have passed Since Kidd sailed the shining blue. But his loot is buried as ever it was. For the Indian ' s spell holds true. And men who go to hunt for gold Go only to gather wool. And woe to the ones who ma} ' search there When the August moon is full. The tide conns high and tin- tide goes lore, .hid ever anon does the full moon rise; .hid with spades ' hey come and with spades they go, But they never can find where the treasure lies. MARTORIE M. .MURPHY, ' 29. ■•-€{ 24 }

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The Indians Spell A BALLAD OF CAPTAIN KIDD The tide comes high and the tide goes low, .liul ever anon thus the full moon rise; And with spades hey come and with spades f li Ihtt they never can pin! where the treasure lies. Two hundred years and more ago When the northeast wind blew free, Hill Kidd. he paced his vessel ' s decks And he says to himself, says he. I ' ve scuttled far and I ' ve scuttled near. And I ' ve got a pile of loot. Now what is a pirate bold to do? And he tapped a thoughtful boot. Oh. Captain Kidd was young and bold, And a gallant man was he. And a pirate brave as a pirate brave That ever sailed the sea. I ' ve guineas and sterling and pieces of eight And nt Spanish coins some score; I ' ve diamonds and rubies, and silver and gold, And jewelry galore. Says he. I ' ll sail on down the sound, For I feel the nor ' east pull. And I ' ll bury my loot at the fairest spot, When the August moon is full. The gold and silver and precious stones He sealed in an iron bound box, And closed the lid and turned the keys Of two ten-pounder locks. Then mit he put from Gardener ' s Isle. When the northeast wind blew free, And down Long Island ' s fair north shore For the fairest spot searched he. On down the coast he sailed awaj By dunes and sand hluffs high. Till he came to a harbor between the hills. Sparkling ' neath the summer sky. Then sails he furled and anchor cast, And saith in his waiting crew. There ' s many a place that ' s fair I ' ve seen, But none like this, it ' s true. Si i he rowed to shore when the night came mi. With sturdy mates to pull; nd they buried the box at the harbor ' s mouth When the August moon was full. [23J5

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Thomas A Becket WITHIN monastery walls a noble heart worshipped. Just beyond the farthest echo of the cloister chimes lay a world of Haunting fancies and painted peacocks. From thence had Thomas come, untainted by the garish life, to this threshold of sacrifice, toil and prayer. A rare and complete transformation it was. What nobility and strength of will was his! Hardly can Thomas ' life of dutifulness, patriotism and martyrdom be told without its companion picture in the person of Henry II. King oi England, lie was monarch through no earthly sacrifice. All was hi- to command — everything that the hand of man could touch, the birds of the air, the beasts of the forest, and all to be had for the pleasure in the taking. Thomas a Becket ' s calling to the life of sanctity had severed his worldly friendship with Henry, as companion in the hunt and friend at the court. This separation might easily have been forgotten by Henry in the com- pensation of many other joys, had Thomas not pledged himself to the support of the Church. The King considered Christ ' s earthly Kingdom and his own irreconcilable. One must he subservient to the other; but that one would not be England. Was not Thomas his friend? Could he not he in the hands of Henry a direct means toward absolute control of the Church? Then could Henry he master not only of the actions hut of the souls of men. Yet, ala -. Thomas of Becket, since his adoption of his new life, was not the same Thomas whom Henry and his court had known. All Henry ' s attempts at gaining power over the Church were frustrated by Thomas, who rose, a flaming and heroic personality in its defense. The contest then became not so much Church and State as Henry and Thomas. The obedience of the Church tried the patience of Henry. He planned one final blow a tax on the Church to be submitted directly to him. Heaviness weighed af the heari of a Becket. One meeting with his old friend might save all. One glance into those defiant eyes might recall the days of youth that meant s, . much to both. Thomas ' many petitions were met with only a series of refusals, until at last a conference was granted. Sore, tried, and weary. Thomas, spurred on by the sacredness of his purpose and hy the purity of the love by which he was hoping to quicken Henry ' s regard for him. journeyed to the palace. Before the bolted door of the royal council hall the few and faithful companions of the patriotic priest mingled among the courtiers. All were silent in awesome suspense. Abruptly the portals were flung wide. Angry tones rang out — they were Henry ' s — Nay, by God ' s eyes! Thomas was calm hut dogmatic in his monotone response, ' Aye. my Liege, under those -ame holy Eyes, by which you so sacrilegiously swear, you -hall not! No further word was wasted. An historical note had been struck. The humble priest had defied the King! And not that alone, hut he had denied to Henry the power that a nation had not been able t resist — the power to tax the people that he might till his ever gaping coffers. The Mack clothed figure swept OUl of the corridor. The fire died out in Henry ' s eyes. His head dropped upon his breast. One pang of emotion hitherto restrained, rose within him. For an instant his worldliness was forgotten. The tragedj of it all was now evident llcniw still loved Thomas ' It was twilight hour. The time-worn walls of the cloister chapel were scarcely discernible. Shadows stealthily crept in and out among the stalls ■ 25 -