The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1881-08-31
An Intricate Proposition.

did it ever appear to you, my
dear, that a person going overland
would have to mail two letters day
from the train in order to have one
letter day return TO San Francis
co ?" asked Major Max the other
evening after the cloth was removed
from the table, and his wife was
pouring his glass of two-thirds ben
edictine and one-third curacao,
which the Major contended was the
only civilized drink with which to
prepare for the after dinner cigar.
Mrs. Max passed the Major his
cordial, and waited a moment be-
fore replying "Why, no it seems
TO me that if a person travelling east
mailed letter each day by west
ward-bound train letter would ar
rive here each day."
Mrs. Max answered cautiously,
for while she knew that the Major
pretended to deplore the fact that
he was illogical, he really derived
much comfort from his superior
comprehension, and was somewhat
addicted to studying out intricate
propositions with which to puzzle
the lady.
"You think so,do you ?" queried
the Major, as though about to be
convinced by her, while in truth he
only wanted her to commit herself
more decidedly, that his victory
would be the more signal.
"Why, yes," Mrs. Max continued,
somewhat assured, ''if you mailed
letter on the first day out, it would
get here on the next day; if you
mailed one the day following it
would arrive here the day after the
first, and the letters, being mailed
a hours apart, would, Of course,
continue to arrive here a day apart.
They couldn't grow further apart on
the road, could they Major ?"
Mrs. Max wound up this sequence
of feminine logic with triumphant
accent, and felt sure she had posed
the Major, for he did not reply un-
til after lighting cigar. Then he
said slowly, "You post letter the
first day out p
"Yes."
''That letter arrives here the day
after you leave ?"
Certainly. One day gone, one
letter received"
Exactly. Well, the next day-a
little caracoa, straight, please-the
next day you post another letter
from the train, and"
"And that arrives here the day ai-
ter the first, of course, making two
days out and two letters received,
and SO on to New York. Eth, Ma
jor ?"
If Mrs. Max had not been exam
lining a new pattern of lace she had
in her sleeves she might have MOTTO
ed the satisfied smile the Major had
as he leaned back in his chair and
said:
"The second day out You would
be at Ogden ?'
Yes
"Wouldn't it take as long for a
letter to return to San Francisco as
it had it had taken you to go Og-
den ?"
Il suppose so.
Then the second letter would ar
rive here two days after you arrived
at Ogden, and four days after You
left here ,"
Mrs. Max looked up and said,
hesitatingly:
"Well. / don't see how you make
that ou."
Il do not make it out, Mrs. Max.
only asked you if was right"
mo, you are not +; ii you post a
letter on a returning train each day,
/ say that a letter must arrive here
each day, and | don't care
Mrs. Max, how long does il take
to 90 to New York 2"
Seven days, / suppose"
Then letter day would be
seven letters. You would post your
sixth letter on your sixth day out,
and it would take it six days more
to return, being twelve days af-
ter YOU left here. Now, as you had
only mailed five letters before the
one which arrived on the twelfth
day, how could a letter day have
arrived ?"
Mrs. Max thought moment, and
than asked with considerable
warmth do you mean to say,
Major Max, that if person going
to New York posts letter on San
Francisco-bound train each day,
that it takes two weeks for all those
letters to arrive here ?"
"It certainly weuld," replied the
Major, glowing comfortably behind
his cigar. He knew Mrs. Max ac-
knowledged her defeat by the way
she rang for the tea, but she would
not ask for further explanation
San Francisco Chronicle.