An "old-time" street scene from Sulphur Bluff, Texas.

 

An "Old-Time" Christmas Prank
From Sulphur Bluff

 

Editor's Note: The following story is from Sulphur Bluff Native, David Hugh "Dick" Hare's, 1976 book, "The Tell of Time," and tells about some of his experiences growing up in the rural setting of that northeastern Hopkins County community.

It was customary for the stores at the Bluff to bring out their Christmas toys, candies, and fruits for Santa, the week before Christmas. The stores stayed open until late on Christmas Eve, so everyone could pick up their boxes and sacks for Santa.

The men came and left, but the grown boys hung around town waiting to celebrate with the traditional Roman candle war. Before the stores closed, they would stock up with plenty of fireworks and then choose sides for the fight. Once the battle touched off, there was considerable rivalry, running and dodging, and hiding in the darkened streets. In the excitement, from time to time there was foul play, which would bring the fireworks to a hault, and then scuffling and fist fighting took over. Eventually, tempers would cool, and the warring factions would come together in preparation for the final, big, annual Christmas celebration event....shooting the anvils in the middle of Main Street!

One anvil was placed on the ground, the swage hole filled and tamped with gun powder, a piece of paper laid over the anvil, with a rivulet of gun powder underneath to the edge of the anvil face. Another anvil was placed on top. A long steel rod with a red hot end was used to ignite the paper, which in turn ignited the little streams of gun powder, that went to the swage hole.

 

This is an anvil similar to the one the author talks about using in the prank.

 

The crowd would rush back a safe distance to wait for the loud and booming blast! It would be heard for two or three miles and awakened many a Santa and Mrs. Claus. About the time they would get to sleep again, Boom! Boom! would go another charge.

"Such tomfoolery! There just ought to be a law against it!" oldsters declared, and added, "The younger generation is going to the dogs. In time they will have their come-uppance before they die!"

 

 

 

There was just enough gun powder left for one more big charge. While rigging up the anvils, Louie Long made the announcement that he would ride the anvil on the next blastoff, and let them shoot him to the moon!

 

 

 

 

None wanted to believe he would actually do it, but sure enough, when the anvil was loaded and ready to be touched off, Louie stepped up on top of the anvil. He steadied himself. Tension rose in the crowd, and speculation was that he'd jump off before it went off.

"Lou-Lou-Louie! you're p-p-plumb cr-cr-crazy to-to d-d-do that!" Bud Patty hollered. Louie was daring, and would not be talked out of such a dangerous fete.

Disgust and fear ran through the crowd as the charge was ignited. The crowd ran back to safety as the tremendous big BOOM! went off, enveloped in smoke and dust. The ground quivered. Many turned their backs, not wanting to see what might have happened to Louie.

Over about ten paces from the blastoff spot, Louie was seen stumbling to his feet, his clothes disheveled, and he was looking for his hat!

Little did any of this crowd imagine, that in only about five years, they would not be engaged in Christmas Roman candle war, but in the thick of a realtime war, that was to make the world safe for democracy....World War I!!!

Main Street in Sulphur Bluff, as it appeared at the time of the prank.

 

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