St Johns College - Ozanam Yearbook (Toledo, OH)

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Merlin Struts His Stuff By GERALD M. SULLIVAN The day of celebration had arrived. The streets of Camelot were packed with merry-makers who filled the air with dust and the sounds of revelry. Flags were draped over balcony railsg streamers extended over the whole width of the road. Parking space was at a premium, for every one with an ounce of patriotism or a liking for egg-nog had come to the city to wit- ness the crowning of Arthur Rex, the man who had delivered Britain from tyranny and-most wonderful of all- had made eggs palatable by inventing egg-nog. Friends and enemies of the Arthurian regime, all alike were mixed in a heterogeneous mass of heaving, pushing humanity. One face alone was missing from that huge assembly. Merlin the friend of Arthur, and the most famous jug- gler and magician of his day, was un- able to be present. Due to his per- sonal interest in the events which had raised Arthur to the throne, he had been unable to practice any new tricks for the mystification of the public during his approaching engagement on the Plantagenet Vaudeville Cir- cuit. Hence it was extremely neces- sary that he go somewhere, far from the maddening crowd to prepare a new act. This meant a slight financial loss to Merlin as he was accustomed, on such gala days, to sit behind his lit- tle green table, and there match his wits and quickness of hand against the gullibility of the general public. Now, however, we find him in his summer cottage by the sea, busily at work, posed before his mirror, he is rehearsing his pattern and studying the rhetorical effects. Here we must leave him for awhile and return to Arthur, that gallant gentleman who is so soon to be embroiled in a highly mysterious and equally dangerous in- trigue. As we have hinted before, not all those who visited Camelot on that oc- casion were motived by love for Ar- thur. The abdication and subsequent death of the old tyrant were too fresh in the minds of the 1atter's friends that they should readily forgive one whom they regarded as an usurper and an upstart. The son and heir-appar- ent of the old king was especially in- terested in a possible return of the ancient regime, and being a crafty rogue and of pleasing personality he had no lack of followers. In appearance he was rather hand- someg large and well set up he gave no outward show of the jealousy and hatred that was gnawing at his vitals, and yet an observant person might re- mark that the associates of his youth had had a reason in mind when they conferred upon him the nickname, Bill, the Black Knight. Undoubt- edly there was something in his char- acter, something shameful which he had been unable to conceal from the companions of his boyhood. Thus we have the setting of our tale, Merlin, the most powerful friend of Arthur, absent at an important date in the life of the nationg Bill, the Black Knight, concealing his chagrin beneath a mask of innocence and good-fellowship. Surely the clouds of adversity are piling up in the skies of the luckless Arthur.

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Regina JVIarty1-um By MARVIN SAUPPE 0 Virgin Queen, above all virgins blest, Of whom, on bleak and cold December morn, The Son of God, the Lord of all, was born! O Virgin fair, upon whose lily-breast The King of kings in ecstasy could restg Mother, whose heart at last was racked and torn And made co-sufferer with Christ to mourn Our sin, and all but mount the gibbet's crest! When sin would lure, O Mother, haste to me And save a soul redeemed so pricelessly. Let no one say that thy all-saving aid Was e'er denied when I to thee have prayedg So that, when life's long iitful dream is o'er, I may with thee praise God forever more.

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28 THE OZANAM But the great moment in the cele- bration had arrived, the hour of Ar- thur's triumph was come. Shortly after the sun had reached its peak the inhabitants of the city began to flock in a steady stream toward a large field on the outskirts of the town. The courtiers of the king, the officers as well as the rank and File of the army, in fact, all who supported the new sovereign, were present. From a large pit in the center of the field came the appetizing odor of bar- becued steer, while off in one corner was a huge vat of the beverage that had lifted Arthur to power-egg-nog. In fact so much of this wonderful nec- tar had been prepared that all the eggs in the realm had been used up. Not another one could be found. This vat was in charge of One-eyed Mike, a former retainer of Arthur's prede- cessor. As soon as the people arrived they headed for the pit, for the egg-nog was to be a surprise. No one noticed the ensuing activity around the vat, and none would have cared if he had, ex- cepting Arthur and the few who were in his confidence. And yet something suspicious was happening there. One-eyed Mike, who should have guarded the interests of the king slipped over to an opening in the fence where he conferred for a moment with Bill the Black Knight, who seemed to materialize out of nothing, so careful had been his ap- proach. A few words were exchanged and then Bill vanished for a few seconds only to return bearing a keg, which he passed through the opening to the waiting Mike. On the side of the keg in small letters was printed the one word NOG. Slipping stealthily back to his post, Mike poured the contents of the keg into the vat. Then he sneaked away for his vi11ain's work was done and if it were to miscarry he had no wish to face the wrath of the outraged king. After the meal was over, the popu- lace proceeded to carry out the pro- gram of the day, which consisted of races and other field sports, which are amusing but conducive to a tremen- dous thirstg then led by Arthur in person they all streamed over to sam- ple the contents of the vat. The effect was immediate and fear- ful. In a few moments every person present was sprawled upon the ground in a profound sleep. One-eyed Mike's work had been well done. The addition of too much nog to the egg- nog had had its full effect, and all the friends of Arthur were in a coma, while Bill the Black Knight was speeding to join his army, encamped several miles away, to lead them down on the devoted citizens of Camelot. But all was not yet lost. The Prov- idence which sometimes interferes to put to naught the machinations of de- signing rascals here introduced a new factor. Little Foe Feak, the capable secretary of Merlin, had been forced to remain in town in connection with some business of his employer, and in consequence he arrived just too late to be one of the victims of One-eyed Bike's treachery. Little joe was struck with horror at the sight. He was puzzled too, un- til he remembered the strange men- at-arms whom he had seen roaming around the vicinity of late, often in the company of Black Bill. His sus- picions aroused, he fied to seek the advice of his master. jumping into a nearby taxi whose driver was in no