Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 50, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 February 1913 — A Joke on Sir Robert Ball. [ARTICLE]

A Joke on Sir Robert Ball.

Sir Robert Ban, the famous astronomer, recently told the House of Commons Committee on the Waste of Daylight that as an astronomer he thought daylight was altogether a mibtake. This notwithstanding the fact that he, Sir Robert, is a yachtsman and a golf player. The author of “The Starry Realms” and of “The Popular Guide to the Heavens” is naturally addicted to the night side of things.

Being an Irishman, too, he is, of course, as much a humorist as an astronomer. On one occasion, when visiting Shakespeare's native birthplace, Sir Robert came off second best Ln a tilt with his erstwhile landlady. "I will give you a lesson in astronomy, madam,” he said. "Have you ever heard of the great platonic year, when everything must return to its first condition? In 26,000 yeart we shall be here aguin, eating a dinner precisely like this. Will you give us credit till then?" "Yes," was the prompt reply. “You were here 26,000 years ago and left without paying. "Settle the old bUI and I'll trust you with the new."