The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-10-04
An Intricate Proposition.
With which Major Max Greatly Puzzled
His Wife.

did it ever occur to you, my dear,
that q person going overland would
have to mail two letters q day from the
train in order to nave one letter day
return to San Franciscop" asked Major
Max the other evening, after the cloth
was removed from the table and his
wife was pouring his glass of twe-thirds
benedictine and one-third curacao.
Mrs. Max passed the Major his
cordial and waited a moment before
replying: why, no; it seems to me
that if person travelling east mailed q
letter each day by o westward bound
train a letter would arrive here each
day.
s Mrs. Max answered cautiously, for
she knew that while the Major pretend
ed to deplore the fact that she was IL
logical, he really derived much comfort
from his superior comprehensions.
'.You think so, do youP' 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 more signal.
s'Why, yes,'' Mrs. Max continued,
somewhat assured, .'if you mailed a
letter on the first day out it would get
here the next day; if you mailed one
the day following it would get here a
day after the first, and the letters, be-
ing mailed twenty-four hours apart,
would, of course, continue to arrive
here 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 &C.
cent. and felt sure she had posed the
major, for he did not reply until after
lighting a cigar. Then he said slowly:
"You post letter the first day out.
Eyes"
s.That letter arrives here the day af-
ter you leave
Certainly. One day gone. one let
ter received"
s'Well, the next day-a little curacao
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. En-, Major?'
Ii Mrs. Max had not been examining
a new pattern of lace she had in her
sleeves she might have noticed the sat
isfied smile the Major had as he leaned
back in his chair and said: 1.-The sec
OAN NslN OUe you MOOA0 OO eSo O50OA'
yes
"Wouldn't it take as long for letter
to return to San Francisco rs it had
taken you to go to OgdenP"
81 suppose So" tr.,
Then the second letter would ar
rive here two DAYS after you arrived al
Ogden and four days after you had left
here.' M
Mrs. Max looked up and said hest
''Well. I don't see how you make
that OUT
81 did not make it out Mrs. Max,
only asked if was right?'
mo, you are not; if you post letter
on returning train each day, say
that letter must arrive here each day,
and don't care"
Mrs. Max, how long does it take tc
go to New YorkPh
''Seven days, I suppose"
''Then a letter day would be seven
letters. You would post your sixth
letter on your sixth day out, and il
would take it six days more to return
being twelve days after you left here
Now, as you had only mailed five let
tors before the one which arrived or
the twelfth day, how could letter {
day have arrived?''
Mrs. Max thought. moment. anc
then asked with considerable warmth
DO you mean to say, Major Max, tina
if a person going to New York posts {
letter on San Francisco-bound trair
each day that it takes two weeks for al
those letters to arrive hereP"
''It certainly wouldp' replied th'
Major, glowing comfortably behind hi
cigar. He knew Mrs. Max acknowledged
her defeat by the way she rang for tbs
tea, but she would not ask for furthe
explanation.- Francisco Chronicle