An author was due to deliver the first speech of his lecture tour. "I'm such a miserable speaker," he confessed to his agent, "that I know they'll all walk out on me before I finish."

"Nonsense!" retorted the agent. "You are an excellent speaker and will keep the audience glued to their seats."

"Oh, I say," cried the author, "that is a wonderful idea! But do we dare?"

Any of you who have ever tried speaking in front of people will appreciate the predicament that Dr. Ralph D. Nichols of the University of Minnesota found himself …