fast as the fox, hence 10 times the distance the fox runs equals the
distance the hound runs. Then 10 times the distance the fox runs, minus
once the distance the fox runs, which is 9 times the distance the fox
runs, is 10 rods; and once the distance the fox runs is 1/9 of 10 rods,
or 10/9 rods; and 10 times the distance the fox runs, or the distance
the hound runs, is 10 times 10/9 or 100/9, or 11-1/9 rods.
If through passenger trains, running to and from Philadelphia and San
Francisco daily, start at the same hour from each place (difference of
longitude not being considered) and take the same time—seven days—for
the trip, how many through trains will the Pacific Express, that leaves
the San Francisco depot at 9 P. M. Sunday, have met when it reaches the
Philadelphia depot?
ANSWER.—As the Pacific Express starts from San Francisco, a train which
left Philadelphia the previous Sunday reaches San Francisco, which is
not to be counted as a meeting of trains. There are, however, six other
trains on the way which it will meet. Also, a train starts from
Philadelphia on the same Sunday as the train starts from San Francisco,
another on Monday, another on Tuesday, etc., up to Saturday—that is,
seven trains, all of which it meets, making, with the six trains
previously started, thirteen trains in all which it meets. A train
leaves Philadelphia on Sunday at the same time the Pacific Express
reaches there, but this is not counted as a meeting.
A switch siding to a single-track railroad is just long enough to clear
a train of eight cars and a locomotive. How can two trains of sixteen
cars and a locomotive, each going in opposite directions, pass each
other at this siding and each locomotive remain with, and have the same
relative position to its own train after as before passing?
[Illustration: line drawing]
ANSWER.—Let one train and its locomotive be denoted by A, and the other
train and locomotive by B, and let the track be denoted by _a b_ and the
siding by _c d_, and suppose train A to be going in the direction of _a
b_, and train B in the direction of _b a_. Then let locomotive B, with
eight cars, run out toward _a_, past _c_, and back up on the siding with
its eight cars; then let train A run out toward _b_, past _c_; then let
B draw its eight cars on to the main track and run out toward _a_; then
let train A back over toward _a_, past _c_, and locomotive A be detached
from train A and run over toward _b_ and connect with the eight cars of
train B and draw them over past _c_, and back them up on the siding, and
then run off the siding and connect again with its own cars and run on
toward _b_, past _c_; then let locomotive B back its eight cars and,
turning on the siding, connect the two halves of its train and move off
past _a_, the train A moving on at the same time past _b_.
A and B went to market with 30 pigs each. A sold his pigs at 2 for $1,
and B sold his pigs at the rate of 3 for $1, and they, together,
received $25. The next day A went to market alone with 60 pigs, and,
wishing to sell at the same rate, sold them 5 for $2, and received only
$24. Why should he not receive as much as when B owned half of the pigs?
ANSWER.—The rate of 2 pigs for $1 is 1 pig for $½, and the rate of 3
pigs for $1 is 1 pig for $⅓; the average rate is 2 pigs for $½ + $⅓, or
$⅚, or 1 pig for $5/12. The rate of 5 pigs for $2 is 1 pig for $⅖. So it
is seen that the reason A did not receive as much is that he sold his
pigs at a less rate than when they both went to market.
Two hunters killed a deer and sold it by the pound in the woods. They
had no proper means of weighing it, but knew their own weights—one 130
pounds and the other 190 pounds. They placed a rail across a fence so
that it balanced with one of them on each end. They then exchanged
places, the lighter man taking the deer in his lap, and the rail again
balanced; what was the weight of the deer?
ANSWER.—Let the weight of the deer be denoted by D; then, by the
principles of the lever, we have the proportion:
130 : 190 = 190 : 130 + D:
Or, 130 (130 + D) = 190 × 190;
Whence, 16900 + 130 D = 36100:
Or, 130 D = 19200;
And, D = 147-9/13.
Who can solve the following problem?
A hundred and one by fifty divide,
And next let a cipher be duly applied,
And if the result you should rightly divine,
You’ll find that the whole makes but one out of nine.
EXPLANATION.—CI, CLI, CLIO (Clio, the muse of history, one of the _nine_
muses).
Suppose the figure to represent railroad tracks, C D and E F being each
the length of a car or locomotive, and _a_ and _b_ each representing a
car on the track and _c_ representing a locomotive on E F. Now how can
the locomotive change the relative position of _a_ and _b_ so that _b_
will be on the track where _a_ is and _a_ will be on the track where _b_
is?
[Illustration: line drawing]
ANSWER.—The locomotive _c_ backs _a_ down and out toward A, then runs
over toward B and backs _b_ up on E F, then runs back toward B and goes
over toward A, then runs up C E and draws _b_ down on C E, then runs
over toward A and gets car _a_, draws it over toward B and backs it up
on D E. It can also be readily done by first backing _a_ down on A C and
drawing to and leaving it on C D.
TALKS
BY GEORGE THATCHER
The Celebrated Minstrel
140 Pages Paper Binding 25 Cents
This unique volume supplies in a most satisfactory way the want that has
heretofore been but indifferently met by the so-called Stump-Speech
books. Mr. Thatcher is without doubt the most popular man in minstrelsy,
his name being known among mirth-loving people everywhere, not only in
America, but beyond the seas. It is most fortunate that the services of
a person so distinguished have been secured for the preparation of this
book, especially since he has put in it his own original matter exactly
as he uses it nightly to convulse his audiences with laughter. The book
contains all his Monologues, Parodies, Songs, Sketches, Poems, Speeches,
Jokes, etc., etc. It will be found invaluable to every humorous reader,
to amateur and professional minstrels, and in addition will prove
interesting reading to any person who is fond of the lighter vein of
literature.
JOKES
GATHERED BY
HENRY FIRTH WOOD
The Popular Humorist
ILLUSTRATED
150 Pages Paper Binding 25 Cents
This attractive little volume is a collection of the brightest,
funniest, and most catchy Jokes of the day. They are all short, some of
them occupying only six or eight lines, but they are as pointed as
short, and all are fairly bristling with wit and humor of the keenest
kind. There are no old ones among them, the collection being the very
latest crop.
They are classified, according to their character, under such headings
as “Womankind,” “Youth,” “Bald and Tough,” etc., ten sections in all,
and each headed with a peculiarly appropriate illustration.
The author is widely and favorably known through his humorous lectures
and readings, and both publicly and privately is recognized as one of
the genuinely funny men of the day.
It is a book that can be picked up and enjoyed at any time, and if read
aloud to a company will afford an infinite fund of mirth and merriment.
FULL OF FUN
250 PAGES PAPER BINDING 50 CENTS
The suggestive and peculiarly fitting title of this attractive volume
faithfully describes the character of its contents, as it is packed full
of fun from the beginning to the end. It is composed of three popular
titles, TALKS, by the celebrated minstrel, George Thatcher, containing
all his monologues, songs, witty sayings, etc.; JOKES, by the popular
humorist, Henry Firth Wood, comprising a multitude of bright and
bristling comicalities; and CONUNDRUMS, by Dean Rivers, embracing the
latest and best in the line of Conundrums, Riddles, and Puzzles, and
including also a number of most complex Arithmetical Puzzles. The
different authors and compilers are deservedly popular and prominent as
representing the keenest and freshest in everything that is bright and
witty, and are a sure guaranty that the volume possesses all the merit
that is claimed for it.
The collection as a whole will afford excellent amusement for the
fireside, will prove a splendid store-house from which to draw material
for anecdote or illustration, is valuable for public reading or
entertainment, and will be found enjoyable reading for private perusal,
while as a cure for an attack of the blues it is unfailing.
Sold by all Booksellers, or sent, prepaid, upon receipt of price
DANCING
By Marguerite Wilson
A complete instructor, beginning with the first positions and steps and
leading up to the square and round dances. It contains also a full list
of calls for all of the square dances, and the necessary music for each
figure, the etiquette of the dances, and 100 figures for the german. It
is unusually well illustrated by a large number of original drawings.
Without doubt the best book on the subject.
PRACTICAL PALMISTRY
By Henry Frith
There is to-day probably no more popular character study than that of
Palmistry. Many more people would be interested in it if there were a
convenient book that came within their comprehension and that was
reliable. This volume furnishes full and trustworthy information on the
subject, and with a little practice any person will be able to read
character, recall past events, and forecast future occurrences, upon
examination of the hand. Fully illustrated.
THE PENN PUBLISHING COMPANY
923 Arch Street, Philadelphia
------------------------------------------------------------------------
TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE
WARNING: Some of the puns may contain elements that we would today deem
stereotyping by race, ethnicity or gender.
Punctuation has been normalized. Variations in hyphenation have been
retained as they were in the original publication. The following changes
have been made:
draws and colors beatifully —> beautifully {43}
vingt quatre —> vingt-quatre {133}
cerque —> cirque {133}
difference —> différence {133}
parse qu’el —> parce qu’il {133}
Carthagenois —> Carthaginois {133}
Romans —> Romains {133}
Quand un gant resemble-t-il an numero vingt cinq. —>
Quand un gant ressemble-t-il au numéro vingt-cinq. {134}
treeze —> treize {134}
Un felon peut-il prendu —> Un félon peut-il prendre {134}
j’etais —> j’étais {134}
que je suis —> ce que je suis {134}
maitresse —> maîtresse {134}
Je ne suis par —> Je ne suis pas {134}
in the margin of —> below {140, ind}
in the margin —> below {148, 149 - 3 instances}
divide the result by 6, add 25 —> add 20 {141}
The following arithmetic problem in the original publication did not
contain a solution:
“Suppose it were possible for a man in Cincinnati to start on Sunday
noon,” {page 145}
Repeated chapter headings have been reduced.
Italicized phrases are presented by surrounding the text with
_underscores_.
Decorative use of letterspacing has not been represented in this version
of the book.
Words and phrases presented using mixed small capital in the original
are presented in this version using all capital letters.
Superscripted characters are indicated by preceding them with a caret
(^), as here: 3^3 - 3 = 24.
End of Project Gutenberg's Conundrums, Riddles and Puzzles, by Dean Rivers