A very amusing experiment is to ask a person to write down the figures around the dial of a clock. Nearly all know that the figures are generally the Roman numerals; but, in writing them down, when they come to the four, it is very often written IV. instead of IIII.
It is said that a certain king, being unable to find any other fault in a clock that had been constructed for him, declared that the figure four should be represented by four strokes (IIII) instead of IV. In vain did the clock-maker point out the mistake, for his majesty adhered obstinately to his own opinion, and angrily ordered the alteration to be made. This was done, and the precedent thus formed has been followed by clockmakers ever since.
[52.] At dinner table: one great grandfather, 2 grandfathers, 1 grandmother, 3 fathers, 2 mothers, 4 children, 3 grandchildren, 1 great grandchild, 3 sisters, 1 brother, 2 husbands, 2 wives, 1 mother-in-law, 1 father-in-law, 2 brothers-in-law, 3 sisters-in-law, 2 uncles, 3 aunts, 1 nephew, 2 nieces, and 2 cousins. How many persons?
“Can February March?” he asked. “No, but April May,” was the reply. “Look here, old man, you are out of June.” “Don’t July about it.” “It is not often one gets the better of your August personage.” “Ha! now you have me Noctober.” And then there was work for the coroner.
PANCAKE DAY.