J. Edward (Jim) Hawkins, campus character and high editor of the Carolina Magazine, last week engaged in a fast bout with a heavy-weight fire-cracker while attending a social affair in honor of the birth of the New Year. The thunderbolt scored arousing technical knockout in the third round.
Mr. Hawkins, who is a past master in the art of parlor trickery, carefully removed the powder from a big six-inch giant cracker and called around him all the ladies that were present, to watch him demonstrate his set of iron jaws. The ladies, believing of course that there was some trick about the stunt, willingly flocked about. Mr. Hawkins then firmly planted the bomb in his mouth, cooly struck a match and calmly lit the dangerous-looking infernal machine. Just at the moment when the entertainer and entertained were expecting the fake to be exposed, the giant cut loose with a terrific and deafening explosion.
The editor, almost in a state of unconsciousness (being nearly coo-coo) retained his usual dignity and succeeded in reaching the door without excessively alarming the hostess. There the cold and moist air served to revive him and in a short time he was able to make repairs and return.
Several of the young ladies present fell into a deep faint, necessitating the free use of smelling salts to bring them back to life. Eye-brows and eye-lashes were singed and faces blackened in general.
Investigation disclosed that Mr. Hawkins unintentionally exchanged fire-crackers and made use of one that was very much alive. A great quantity of burnt powder and fragments of paper were removed from the interior of his mouth and with the exception of a few minor injuries, the editor was not seriously hurt, and was able to return to his work at the University at the beginning of this week.
From page 3 of The Tar Heel, Chapel Hill, N.C., Saturday, January 10, 1925
newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn92073227/1925-01-10/ed-1/seq-3/#words=JANUARY+10%2C+1925
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