A correspondent writes: - A friend of mine came to me with a curious tale the other day. His wife was cooking one morning, and when she put on the frying pan, lo and behold! it gave forth a programme of sweet music. This did not happen only once or twice, but every time the utensil was put on the fire.
Amateur enthusiasts were called on to explain this state of affairs, but it was only after great trouble that it was discovered that a wireless transmission cable was situated in the vicinity of the house. In some mysterious way the pan formed contact with the cable.
I have found out since, however, that such a state of affairs is not altogether uncommon. A man in London once claimed that, wherever he went, he could hear music in the air. He could listen in to a concert while walking in the street. Another time an amusing experience came to some firemen in their headquarters. They were suddenly startled to hear a brass band evidently playing in the room. A search disclosed a shovel hanging on the wall, and, as the men looked at it, soft romantic strains came from it.
Think of finding romance in a shovel! In this case also the shovel was found to be connected in some way to a wireless main near the fire station. A Glasgow man, I believe, recently heard the B.B.C. programmes in his home every time he put on a pair of headphones, although he had no wireless set. His next-door neighbour had an unconnected set which was switched on, and a metal strip passed from one room to the other; hence the music.
The Irish Times, November 19th, 1929.