Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-05-19
Rob. and then I'll try to repay some of

Rob. and then I'll try to repay some OF
your many kindnesses."
1t was really quite hard to part from the
prown-eyed, freckle-faced young Mormon
who had proved SO true a friend and Paul
found himself specializing as the train sped
| westward under what circumstances, II
ever they might meet again. But the prob
lem was too deep for instant solution, and
before he could arrive at a satisfactory
conclusion he was fast asleep.
| Jack Turner'S pull with the new crew
was so strong that when he came In the
| car next afternoon to say goodbye he as
sured Paul everything would be all right as
| far as Sacramento, a piece of news that
| was, Of course, most gratefully received.
Meantime Paul had made some acquaint-
| ances among the passengers. so that hot
cup of coffee or tea was always forthcom-
! Ing at meal times.
The car in which Turner had found him
a seat was filled with a motley collection o;
emigrants. most OF whom We're on their way
| TO southern California. Families predomi.
mated, with the usual quota of children
| from babes in arms TO restless boys and
girls from twelve to fourteen.
| The confinement in the crowded car had,
| naturally tried the patience and temper of
both parents and children, so that when
Paul entered on the scene the prospect was
anything but inspiriting. But with the
| biissful disregard of surroundings so pc
| culiar TO healthy boy, Paul had curled
| hlmself up on the seat, after eating his
! rrst meal aboard the train, and despite the
| .'N'SS oAN NohluSlOu on all Sl0eS, he IOun0
no difhculty in wooing the drowsy god ~
| Next day he had plenty of opportunity to
| STUDY MS Fellow travellers at leisure, and It
was not long before his cheerful good
| nature began to assert itself
The heart of a little woman, whose eldest
| OF three tots was scarcely seven, he glad
| dened by enticing the youngsters into his
seat, where he amused them for upward of
an hour by storytelling and propounding
mysterious conundrums, which gave The
| tired mother. travelling to rejoin her hus-
band, chance to rest for the first time
since she had boarded the train =
| A f-etful child that had cried half the
| morning he quieted by walking up and
down the aisle with the baby perched on
his shoulder. until II crowed with delight
At dusk of the second day the children
| began to regard Paul as their especia
friend, and after their early supper hal
been discussed he had all the little peopl,
In the car crowded into his seat, on hi,
knees, at his back-anywhere within ear
shot-for Paul could tell the most wonder
full fairy stories In way that held th,
| youngsters spellbound, and their demands
| for lust one more, please" were met unit
the story teller was too hoarse to continue
Thus il was that Paul shortly found him
self most popular individual not onl,
| with the children, but with the big folk
| too, for since his advent a different sort o
| atmosphere seemed to pervade the car, am
the elders were not slow to perceive tn
| cause. Hence IL was not strange that witt
the approach of meal time three or four In
/ vitatIons were always open to Paurs choice
| At Sacramento many of the emigrant
| left the train to continue their journe,
southwark, and as Paul met q peremptoT,
challenge for ticket from the new con
| ductor. he knew his rope was run, and tina
| he could not hope TO get to San Francisc'
| aboard that car. Sadly. but philosophical,
| withal, he said goodbye to his big and Attl
friends, and escorted by a brakeman wa,
piloted through the forward door and or
| dered to make himself scarce. -
Not. however. without having formula tex
| certain definite plans. One of the passen
gers had advised him to steal aboard on
OF the river steamers plying between Sacra
mento and San Francisco and stow ava,
\ among the cargo Having at some previous
| time successfully essayed this trick himself
| he further explained how 1t might safely b.
accomplished. which so appealed to Paul.
| imagination that he determined to max,
the attempt.
With a sandwich resting snugly at tn,
bottom Of each outside pocket of his Goa
the lad made his way across the gridironeS
tracks to the wharf, where he remained un
| TIL dusk awaiting an opportunity to elud'
| the cerberus at the gate. tsr
AS Homer was said to sometimes nod 81
| also did the vigilance of the guard relax
and at the first good chance Paul slippeS
| inside the gate, bounded lightly across Tn
gangway of a packet moored to the d6ok
and in a trice had concealed himself anon,
/ q pile of freight on the lower deck forward
Two months before his heart would hav,
| beaten like trip-hammer had he attempt
ed anything so daring as this. and he woult
probably have remained in a state Of con
| slant terror for fear OF discovery.
But now he merely shrugged his shoul
ders US he lay outstretched across the bag
of grain, and with a mental apology to tn,
owners for surreptitiopsly boarding thei
vessel he gazed steadily at the bright moor
| overhead and actually dropped asleep be
| fore the boat left the wharf to steam dow
| the Sacramento river.
As tramp Paul was making progreBs.
| Go be continuedl