A Railroad Depot's Unlikely New Recruit

It is not often that a railroad man has any sympathy for a tramp who has been 'beating his way' on a train, but one arrived at the Northern Pacific depot a few days ago who had such a soft, insinuating manner that H. P. Nadeau, the ticket agent, took him in, and has since in the goodness of his heart sheltered and fed him. This tramp until recently had a job in the Southern yards at San Francisco, but the perquisites were scanty for his fastidious taste, so he jumped his job and came North. He climbed on the rear trucks of a Pullman car and rode to Portland in safety. His presence had been noticed as the train left Oakland, so a telegram had been sent ahead saying there was a tramp on the trucks, and there was a lively chase after him when he reached Portland. But he sidled around the cars and concealed himself on the trucks of the Pullman bound for Tacoma. Again word was sent ahead to look out for him, but again he dodged his pursuers. He arrived here at midnight and sneaked into the depot. Mr. Nadeau found him there in the morning and took pity on his woe-begone, dirty, dusty, half-starved looks. He took the poor tramp up in his arms and gently stroked him and comforted him and the tramp, unused to such kindness in this cruel world, rubbed his head on the vest of the man of the adamant heart and purred gratefully. For the tramp was a cat which had been employed to catch mice in the yards, but like a railroad engineer he had worked himself out of a job by his industry, so he had struck out for some other place where there were more mice. Now he is working for his board and lodging at the depot.