A Lecture that Stopped the Clock.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 25 September 1914, Page 2

A Lecture that Stopped the Clock.

Professor John Milne, the cmi-

nent mining' engineer and seismologist, who died not. long ago, was once invited to lecture before a. meeting of the British Association in Canada. He started off promptly at eight o'clock, and by a quarterpast had nearly reached the end of his discourse. Soon he reached the end of the lecture, which had been prepared before-hand, and, glancing at. the clock, he saw that the hands pointed .to twenty minutes past eight. He thought to himself, '"Well, it would be a pity for them to think that a man who has come all the way from England has said all he has got to say in twenty minutes. I'll give them some more." So he began a story to snin out the time.

Presently he happened to glance round at his supporters on the platform, and observed that Lord. Kelvin wore a puzzled expression, but he went on and on until suddenly he felt someone hit him in the hack, and .Lord Kelvin's voice whispered in his ear : "Shut up,

Milne : you've been talking an hour and a half. The clock has stopped !"