St Joseph Academy - Sajoscript Yearbook (Columbus, OH)

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S A N D A L P H 0 N he knew of the proposed expedition. That he did in a voice filled with eager- ness and expectation. if S :II Many days passed. At length gathered in the streets were crowds of men. Men, young and old, strong and weak, rich and poor, all fired with the same religious zeal, all marked with that distinguishing red cross which appeared on the shoulder of each. It was nearly time to begin the long march. The restless horses 'pawed the ground. The air was filled with rising shouts and cheers, and from all sides came farewells and hearty wishes for success. They were off! Mothers and wives smilingly waved to the moving cavalcade. Thus have women, through countless wars, smiled on their departing men, while their hearts are filled with tears .... Toward the close of the year 1248, 50,000 Crusaders under the leadership of their saintly king reached Cyprus where they remained until spring. Early in the following May the royal fieet of eighteen hundred vessels again set sail, this time for Egypt, the stronghold of the Mohammedans, but owing to a violent storm at sea only nine hundred ships came into port. The loss of so many com- panions in arms disheartened a number of those who survived, and made them almost willing to turn back. It took all the king's eloquence and dauntless courage to rekindle the enthusiasm which had buoyed them up when the journey began. And so amidst discontent and religious fervor, the Crusaders marched on until they had nearly reached the gates of Damietta one sultry night in June. Nothing was seen cf the Turks, and a call came for volunteers to steal into the city, and report the lay of the land. Philip, eager for adventure, was the first to respond, and Louis while he dreaded to see so young a boy undertake the perilous task, allowed him to go. The lad stole out of the camp, and slowly and cautiously made his way to the city-gates. He looked about for an opening of some kind, but could not, in the blackness of the night, find anything that would provide a, means of his entering the city unmolested. Hearing the regular footfall of the guard just inside the walls, he crept as clesely as possible along them to escape being seen. How proud Mother will be, he thought, when I tell her I was sent ahead. I'll be the first Frenchman inside the enemy 's city, and how proud God will be! I know He will. And Dad, I wonder if he can see me nowf' Fumblingly, but surely, he made his way, until he fell headlong. As he started to rise, he thought he saw an opening in the wall, clese to the ground, and 'passing his hand along the stone foundation he found what he sought. At last. he breathed, now I can get in. His heart thumped loudly, and he could hardly wait to creep through to the other side, so eager was he to suc- ceed. Philip pushed his head in, and felt, rather than saw, the guard approach- ing, but waited for him to pass before venturing in. A moment more and he stood within the city of Damietta. After whispering a prayer of thanksgiving to God, he started forward. But the young spy had not noticed the overhead guard who happened to be patrolling that particular section. Ile would have mistaken Philip for one ef his countrymen had not the boy acted so suspiciously. Pointing his javelin at the boy, he hissed, Down, you dog! ' The surprise was so great that the boy turned, and the spear was hurled just in time to pierce his young heart. Ah,', he gasped, clutching his breast as if to stop the pain. MotherAI know you 'll understand-it was-all-eform God. Jerking the cruel weapfn, he threw it on the ground, and a spurt of red blood shot upwards. WVith a low moan, Philip de Iiavelle fell to the ground, i11 a lifeless heap, just inside the city gates of Damietta. page thirty-nine Q f

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SANDALPIION All For God FRANCES BRADLEY Graduate 'l' WAS noon. Overhead, the sun, like a revengeful god, sent down blind- ing rays of heat upon a parched earth. Everywhere there was quiet. Under a large tree covered with leafy foliage, lay a tall, slender boy apparently asleep. Ile appeared to be seventeen or eighteen years Qld. To his right, in a large grassy meadow, a flock of sheep was wandering aimlessly, guarded by a huge shepherd dog. Suddenly the air was pierced by several sharp, staccato barks, and the boy angrily arose to discover what might be the cause of the disturbance. HI knew it was too peaceful to lastf, he muttered to himself, and turning around be- held a large, well-built man smiling at him kindly. '4Shep had ceased to bark, and was licking the man's hand, and jumping on him playfully, as though he found him a very pleasant companion indeed. Then the stranger spoke. And his deep, manly voice tfld of culture and refinement. My boy, how can you lie here? Do you not know that the good King Louis has summoned a crusade, in which you, as well as all the youth of our fair France should feel honored to join? Come, leave your flock of foolish sheep, and iight for the glory cf God, and your king! The boy's expressive face showed the delight he felt. Sir, is it really true, that there is to he another crusade WZ Tell me where I shall go to join the king. My father died in the Holy Land, he added proudly. NVon't you come to my home, and dine with us before continuing your journey? My Mother will be glad to hear of the king's plansfi Nay, my son, he responded kindly, HI can not tarry here, I must reach the next village ere nightfallf' With these words, he turned and swung off down the long white road, a romantic figure, whcse lithe stride betokened the military training he had un- doubtedly received. NVith more speed than he had ever accomplished the deed before, Philip de Lavelle herded his sheep into the feld for the night. He rushed home, and in great haste entered the little house, in which he and his Mother lived, crying excitedly, Mother, Mother ! i ' In answer fo his call, a Woman, comparatively young, and exceptionally eomely, appeared, and gazing at him fondly for a moment, inquired the reason rf his deep excitement, and half-holiday. Oh, Mother, at last the chance has come! Now I am to travel, and see the world. And, just think, I shall fight: and who knows but I may be the first to enter the Iloly City, and plant the Cross of King Louis, bearing the words 'fled Wills It'? Ilis brilliant eyes glowed-truly he was a lad to make any mother's heart contract with fear and terror at the thought of what might hefall him, as she recalled with unspeakable anguish the fate of her beloved husband. Yes, nearly fifteen years beforeg an older Philip had stood before her, and had voiced this same longing and desire. Ile had kissed her, and their three-year old son fondly, and with some ether ardent French men rode away never to return. Now when the old wound was nearly healed, was her heart to be pierced anew by the loss of her only beloved scan? Surely the goed flod would not ask this of her--but who was she to question Ilis will, and that of the glorious King Louis? 9-o, hiding the fear from her eyes and voice, she bade her son tell her all page thirty-eight

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SANDALPHOX The Golden Rose C.vr11E1c1NE LYONS Graduate NOTEWORTIIY event of the Jubilee Year of 1925 was the presenta- tion of the Golden Rose to Queen Elizabeth of Belgium by Pope Pius XI. It is a token of the honor and esteem which she, out of the entire Christian world, won because of her loyalty and true religious spirit, The Golden Rose is a. very precious and sacred ornament, blessed annu- ally by the Iloly Father. During the Pope's sojourn at Avignon, the custom originated of bestowing this high honor upon the mast deserving prince pres- ent at the Papal Court. From the beginning of the seventeenth century, this privilege was extended to all nobles in Rome. At a later period, the nobility residing outside of the once Imperial City were also eligible for the honor. The exact date of the institution of the ceremony is rather uncertain. Many attribute it to St. Gregory I, the greatest figure in the medieval power of the Papacy. The first notice of the blessing of the Rose was recorded in the eleventh century when Pope Leo IX imposed upon the nuns at the Mon- astery of Bamberg, in Franconia, the obligation of furnishing yearly the Golden Rose, which he would bless and carry in solemn procession on Laetare Sunday. Previous to the reign of Sixtus IV, the ceremony consisted in blessing a single, gold rose, in the heart of which rested a ruby. Precious gems were arranged artistically on the petals. That Iloly Pontiff, hewever, substituted a thorny branch of roses, delicately tinted and designed. In the past cen- turies, there have been countless changes and variations as to the size, shape and value of the token. The Rose presented to the Queen of the Belgians is an exquisite work of art. It consists, not of a single rose, but a spray of nineteen blossoms and buds. Its two hundred and ninety leaves are richly wrought in gold. A vase, beau- tifully embossed, serves as a mount for the ornament. One side bears the Pontifical coat-of-arms, the other, an inscription in Latin: To Eliza- beth, Queen of Belgium, given by Pius XI P. M. on the twenty-fifth anni- versary of her august wedding. The Rose and vase are inelosed in a polished walnut case, lined with cream-colored velvet. The ceremony of the Rose has been linked with the names of some fa- mous men in the history of the world. In 1096 Urban II bestowed this honor upon Folfa. d'Anjou, the leading spirit of the First Crusade. The discovery of America, 1492, was celebrated by the bestowal of the Golden Rose upon Isabella, Queen of Spain. Again, in 1555, Queen Mary of England received it from the hands of Julius III, as a reward for the Catholic Restoration in her kingdom. It is an interesting fact, that the recent presentation of the Golden Rose ha.d a counterpart just a century ago. In that Jubilee Year, Queen Maria Theresa of Savoia was the recipient of this recognition. In 1796 she was threatened by the French troops under Napoleon Bonaparte and was driven A page forty