AN INSTANCE OF ABSENT-MINDEDNESS

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXVII, Issue 3, 21 January 1909, Page 117

AN INSTANCE OF ABSENT-MINDEDNESS

" It is related of a famous and absent-minded scientist that, taking a notion that he would like a hard-boiled egg, " he set out to prepare one. " Having ascertained how many minutes it should boil, he went to the stove and dropped his watch into the boiling water. Then, placing the egg ..on the table beside him, he sat down to read until the time -was up. The book proved entertaining, a,nd, it was half an _hour bef ore~he raised his eyes and found the egg. ' Why, I must have removed this. from the water,' he said; and proceeded to break the shell, .with what result you may ""imagine. At last he missed his watch, and " searched all over the house for it ; but it was not" to be .found until the following morning, when the cook. discovered it in the kettle, probably not much improved by its long bath. -