Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1908-01-14

AZ professor Lord Kelvin had some
peculiarlties, and one Of them was the
habit Of saying when a doubling Ques-
tion was put to him as to the absolute
certainty Of some proposition:
Didn't figure that out myselfY
The question was not put lrritably
Or egotistically. as a rule. II was mere
~ the natural remark Of a man who
had been an acknowledged leader Of
worldwide fame for 50 many years.
Gays the Philadelphia Post.
One day when lecturing on electric
tty be told his class that. while a vol
tnge Of 1900 or 30 would be fatal to a
man, a voltage Of, say. some 100000
would be perfectly harmless. With a
current Of far more than ordinary vol.
tage he was going to give them a prac-
Teal illustration Of the fact on himself
right there before them. The students
could hardly believe their ears. but as
he stepped toward the electrical trans
former a cry Of dissent and horror
went up.
TRY II on q dogl Try 1t on an AMI
malF' came from all parts Of the lee
tnre room.
Lord Kelvin turned In stin dignity
and cast q look Of reproaeh over the
class. These were his own pupils who
were doubling him. II was In his be-
loved UniveTBity Of Glasgow. To doubt
on some minor point would not have
hurt him, but to think that they could
question the reliability Of his careful
" prepared figures on a matter OF such
moment was really painful For a few
moments be looked at them IN silence
Didn't / figure 1t out myself3" he
said at length, and then there was only
silence az he continued on his way 70
the apparatus and safely turned the
tremendous voltage into himself.
Lord Kelvin while engaged in cleo.
trical engineering for the purpose Of
light recreation took up the question Of
simplifying the method OF signals at
soa. At the time he was at Madeira,
and. although his plan seemed simple
70 him. It was rather puEzling to or.
SAAeAA4 ANAAs ~ quay 2A0AANls
He had been talking Of It at the din.
ner table Of q friend In Madeira, and
the only person that seemed able 20
grasp II was that Of his hosts dauRh.
tar, q lady he greatly admired.
Il quits understand. Sir william"
abe said.
"Ars yOu sursT' he questioned, hall
dOubtfully. ~If ! SAINT you q signal
from my yacht. do you think you could
rad Il and answer mO3''
Il believe should succeed in max
ms Il out"
The signal was ssnt, and the lady
did succeed In making Il out and trans.
hitting the reply. The question waA
Wm yOu marry msr and the answer
was. "Yes"
Before he was raised 10 the peeraga
Lord Kelvin ono day was found by q
frisnd experimenting with a long con
o. wire, says Tit-Bits. He was max.
Ing deep sea soundlngs. His friend I'm
mediately became interested IN watch.
ing the great scientist at work, says q
biographeF, and asked:
what h that forY'
-oh." answered Lord Kelvin. ''this
is for making sOundings."
sAh." said the other, with the ovi.
dent intantion Of cracking a joke at
The seientist's expense, what sort Of Q
note does Il give oRf'
'-rhe deep G. Of course" answered
Lord Kelvin promptly.
Lord Kelvin. who was eighty three
years old, was not above having q
joke. says the London Chronicle. ons
day he asked a distinguished scientist
Nhla apparAntlY simple nnaaffnn. aXVhni