Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1893-02-27

sparkling with diamonds and resplen-
dent in fine linen, attracted perhaps
rather moro than . casual attention
from North, whose mind was impressed
by the painful contrast between the
abiect wretchadneas of the invalid's
face and the pomp and splendor of his
outward circumstances. Helpless and
suffering, he was evidently not one
whom the severe discipline of physical
afliction had softened and refined; 1t
was but too obvious that here was
mind as warped and diseased as IT'S
frail tenement. The expression of his
face betrayed q harsh, selfish nature
exaggerated almost to a grotesque de-
gree by years of self-indulgence. He
appeared to be constantly on the alert
to discover something that he might
construe into grievance. The
querulous glance of his restless eyes,
the sneering curl of his thin lips under
fierce iron-gray mustache, forestalIed
all words, and were q sufficient warn
ing to persons of acute penetration not
to give him the provocation for which
he was evidently watching to give way
to violent and aggressive wrath.
North was passing this gentleman
with the speculative but courteous
glance of perfect stranger, when to
his utter amazement he was accosted in
the most peremptory manner.
The wheel chair was brought to a
sudden halt, while q petulant voice
uttered the startling challenges:
North, you jackanapes! What do
you mean, sir? Do you intend to insult
me?'
North was electrified. What had he
done? Who was this interesting in
valid?
"Some one, evidently, whomI ought
to know" he thought, land whom it
will be awkward and unfortunate to
offend. What can do to pacify him?"
Then, lifting his hat as he turned
back to the gentleman, North said, with
an apologize air:
"My dear sir, beg your pardon.
was preoccupied, and did not recognize
you at ALL"
This statement, although offered with
charming frankness and suavity, was
quite thrown away upon the deeply Of
fanded gentleman
ZONE SYSTEM IN HUNGARY.
Official Figures show 1t Is a Complet.
Success.
Three years ago the Hungarian gov
eminent adopted the zone system of
rates for railroad fares. The principle
involved large reduction in rates, es-
pecially to long-distance travellers. With
BudaPcsth as a center, the circumfer-
ence of the first zone ives about one hun
dred miles away, the second two hun
dred, and so on to the extreme limits Of
Hungary. Only slight reduction in rates
40 ~, I,o To-
in the second, and increasingly larger
4 in the outer zones. The gross reduction
was in the neighborhood of sixty per
| cent. Hungary was an ideal place for
trying the plan, as oil roads run to
Buda-Pesth and the city itself was prac-
tically In the center of the country.
Railroad men everywhere declared the
plan .forcdoomed to failure, even where
| the conditions were as favorable as in
Hungary.
The first official figures on the sys-
tenn have been published Commenting
| on them, Transport says:
Excellent results have, according to
the official figures just published, been
shown by the working Of the zone sys-
tenn on the railways of Hungary. The
eyes of Europe have been turned with q
l
this, tho most daring and systematic
method of discrimination In favor of the
long distance as against the short dis
! tance traveller In tho world. The vari-
| GUS zones or circles within which GER
tain fares arc charged are fixed by reg
ulation, the principle adopted being the
| greater the distance from the capital
the less the proportional rate per mile
travelled. The system has been greatly
appreciated by the people living in the
moro distant parts Of the country, Us
the result shows. For some years be-
fore tho introduction Of tho system the
number of travellers averaged 5000, 900
annually. In the first year of tho zone
tariff the number rose to 10000, 900; the
second years returns showed that 49,
o00, 900 had used tho railways, while
during the third year tho number OF
travellers totaled 2s, 900, 900. 1t is salts
factory to note corresponding rise in
the receipts, advancing from 9,7o5, O0O
gulden during the last year Of the old
system to 2s, 300, 900 gulden during the
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