Why did the ironmaster speak kindly to the peddler and invite him home?

The ironmaster of the Ramsjo iron works watched both night and day work at the mill. When he came at nightly rounds of inspection, he saw a ragged fellow near the furnace. He walked close up to him, looked him over very carefully. Ironmaster made a picture in his mind and mistook peddler as an old regimental comrade, Captain Von Stahle. He addressed a stranger as” Nils Olaf.” It seems to ironmaster that the man had fallen on bad days and he wanted to help him out getting his health better so Ironmaster invited peddler on his home on Christmas celebration.