The Portland daily press., 1881-07-21
A Question of Time.
Which Good Woman Found it Difficult
to Get Through Her Head.
tSan Francisco Chronicle

lSan Francisco Chronicle.1
did it ever occur to you, my dear, that
person going overland would have to mail two
letters day from the train in order to have
one letter day return to San Francisco"
asked Major Max the other evening after the
cloth was removed from the table and his wife
was pouring his glass of two-thirds bsnedictine
and one-third curacao, which his wife contend
prepare for the after-dinner cigar.
Mrs. Max passed the Major his cordial and
waited moment before replying: "Why, no;
1t seems to me that if person travelling east
mailed letter ach day by westward-bound
train letter would arrive here each day."
Mrs. Max answered cautiously, for while
she knew that the Major pretended to deplore
the fact that she was illogical, he really de-
rived much comfort from his superior compre.
hension, and was somewhat addicted to study.
ing out intricate propositions with which to
puzzle the lady.
"You think SO, do your" 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, off you mailed letter on the first day
out it would get here the next day; if you
mailed one the day following it would arrive
here day after the first, and the letters being
mailed twenty-four hours apart would, of
course, continue to arrive here day apart.
They couldn't grow farther apart on the road
could they, Major?"
Mrs. Max wound up this sequence of femi-
nine logic with triumphant accent, and felt
sure she had posed the Major, for he did not
reply until after lighting cigar. Then he said
slowly: You post letter the first day out2''
eyes"
THAT letter arrives here the day after you
leave?"
Certainly. One day gone, one letter re.
Exactly. Well, the next day-a little Gu
racoa, straight, please-the next day you post
another letter from the train and -"
And that arrives here the day after the first
OF course, making two days out and two letters
received, and so on to New York. Eli, Ma.
jorP''
If Mrs Max had not been examining a new
pattern of lace she had in her sleeves she
might have noticed the satisfied smile the Ma.
Jor 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 q letter to re-
turn to San Francisco as it had taken you to &c
toOgdenG
81 suppose So"
Then the second letter would arrive here
two days after you arrived at Ogden and foul
days after you left here?"
Mrs. Max looked up and said hesitatingly
Well, don't see how you make that out"
Il did not mako it out, Mrs. Max, onl,
asked if was right"
No, you are not; if you post letter on {
returning train each day I say that lette
must arrive here each day, and don't care"
york?',
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 tt
return, being twelve days after you left here
Now, as you had only mailed five letters be-
fore the one which arrived on the twelfth day
how could letter a day have arrived"
Mrs. Max thought moment and then asked
with considerable warmth: "Do you mean te
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 ali
those letters to arrive here!''
at certainly would,' replied the Major
glowing comfortably behind his cigar. He
knew Mrs. Max acknowledged her defeat by
the way she rang for the tea, but she would
not ask Tor further explanations, SO the reade,
must Inquire out the proposition without fur.
Their assistance than the Majors hints afford.