Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1881-08-23
NO. So.
AN INTRICATE PROPOSITION.
Sam F,rancisco Chrnniclel.

Oiu ~ ofSl VcSat w JVuj ny NcHfS
that a person going overland wouldhavc
to mail two letters q day from the train
in order to have one letter day return
to San Franciscos" asked Major Max
the other evening, after the cloth was
removed from the table and his wife was
pouring his glass Of two-thirds benedic-
tine and one-third cnracoa,s which the
major contended was the only civilized
drink with which to prepare for the af-
ter dinner cigar
Mrs. Max passed the major his cordial
and waiteda moment before replying:
"Why, no; it seems to me that If q
person travelling east mailed letter
each day by westward bound train, q
letter would arrive here each day."
Mrs. Max answered cautiously, for
while she knew that the major pretend
cd to deplore the fact that she was IL
logical, he really derived much comfort
from his superior comprehension, and
was somewhat addicted to studying out
intricate propositions with which to puz-
zle the lady.
"You think SO, 90 youw 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 sig
nal.
"Why, yes;D continued Mrs. Max,
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 get here the day af-
ter the first, and the letters being mail
ed twcnty-four hours apart would Of
course continue to arrive day apart.
They could not grow further apart ON
the road could they, major ~
Mrs. Max wound up this sequence Of
feminine logic with triumphant ac-
cent, and felt sure she had posed the
major, for he did not reply until after
lighting cigar. Then he said slowly,
lyon post letter the first day ontv'
ayes"
"I'hat letter arrives here the day af-
ter you leave /"
Certainly. One day gone, one letter
received"
Exactly. Well, the next day--a lit
tie curacao, straight, please-the next
day you post another letter from the
train, and-"s
"And that arrives here the day after
the first, of course, making two days ont
and two letters received, and so on to
New York. Eth. majorw
lfMrs. Max had not been examining
new pattern of lace she had in her
sleeves, she might have noticed the sat
isfed smile the major had as he leaned
back in his chair and said
",rhe second day ont would be at Og-
den 7"
dyes"
Wouldn't it take as long for letter
| to return to San Francisco as it had TAX
en- you to 60 to Ogden ~
~ suppose So"
"Tlen the second letter would arrive
here two days after you arrived at Ogden
and four days after yon left here 7"
Mrs. Max looked up and said, liesita-
tingly:
"Well, don't see how yon make that
ont"
~ did not make it out, Mrs. Max. !
only asked if l was right"
"No, yon are not; ifyou post letter
on returning train each day, ! say that
O letter must arrive here each day, and
don't care"
"Mrs. Max, how long does it take to
60 to New York 2"
"seven days suppose"
"rhcn letter day would he seven
letters. Yon wonld post yonr sixth
letter on your sixth day ont, and it
| would take it six days more to return,
being twelve days after you left here.
Now as you had only mailed five letters
before the one which arrived on the
twelfth day, how could letter have
arrived ?"
| Mrs. Max thought moment, and then
asked with considerable warmth: "DO
you mean to say, Major Max, that if n
person going to New York posts - letter
on a San Francisco bound train each day
that it takes two weeks for all those let
ters to arrive here p
ut certainly would" replied the Ma
jor, glowing comfortably behind his
cigar. He knew Mrs. Max acknowl-
edged her defeat by the way she rang
for the tea, but she would not ask for
further explanation, so the reader must
n IL ~ q