The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1881-08-09
A Question of Time.

I'D IL 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 let
ter day return to San Francisco 7"
asked Major Max the other evening af-
ter the cloth was removed from the
table and his wife was pouring his glass
of two-thirds benedictine and one third
curacao, which his wife contended was
the only civilized drink with which to
prepare for the after-dinner cigar
Mrs. Max passed the Major his cordi-
al and waited a moment before replying
Why, no; it seems to me that if
person travelling east mailed letter
each day by a westward bound train
letter would arrive here each day."
Mrs. Max answered cautiously, for
while she knew that the Major pretend
ed to deplore the fact that she was illog-
ical, 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
the Major, as though about to be con-
vinced by her, while in truth he only
wanted her to commit herself more decid-
edly that his victory would be the more
signal.
"Why, yes" Mrs. Max continued,
somewhat assured, if you mailed let
ter on the first day out, it would get
here the next day if you mailed one
the day following it would arrive here
a day after the first, and the letters be-
ing mailed twenty.fo hours apart
would, of course continue to arrive here
a day apart. They couldn't grow far
ther apart on the road, could they, Ma
jorY"
Mrs. Max wound up this sequence of
feminine logic with triumphant accent
and felt sure that she had posed the
Major, for he did not reply until after
lighting a cigar. Then he said slowly:
g You post letter the first day out 20
Yes"
THAT letter arrives here the day after
you leave 2"
Certainly. One day gone, one letter
received"
" Exactly. Well the next day-a lit
tie curacao straight, t,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. Eh, Major ?"
If Mrs. Max had not been examining
new pattern of lace she had in her
sleeves she might have noticed the satis-
fled smile the Major had as he leaned
back in his chair and said
"The second day out, you would be at
Ogden ?"
Yes.n
Wouldn't 1t take as long for letter
to return to San Francisco as it had
taken you to go to Ogden 2"
:" I suppose So"
Then the second letter would arrive
here two days after you arrived at
Ogden and four days after you had left
here ?"
Mrs. Max looked up and said hesitat-
ingly;
"Well, don't see how you make that
out.'
II did not make it out, Mrs. Max,
only asked If was right"
"No, you are not; if you post letter
on returning train each day say that
a letter must arrive hear each day, and
l don't care"
Mrs. Max, now long does 1t take TO
go to New York ?n
"Seven days suppose"
Then a letter day would be seven
letters. You would post your sixth let
ter on your sixth day out, and it would
take it six days more to return, being
twelve days after you left here. Now,