Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1902-01-23
story for an
Hole bour
Reduced From Wealth to Tramping--
CycIopedia Of Railway information.

Reduced From Wealth to Tramping--
CyeIopedia Of Railway Information.
Born In luxury, the only son of rich
parents. whose study it was TO crafty
his every within, then suddenly thrown
on the world at the age of IA years,
penniless and an orphan, spending
his life from that time until he YVES
IS as q professional tramp, such is
the brief outline Of the career OF
Sammy. the Bum" one of the most
unique characters in Columbus. Sam
my is a product of San Francisco,
and when he claims the title eR pro-
fessionap tramp he says he has
roughed It from Maine to California
many times.
Sammy's real name is Frank John
son, and he was born In San Fran
cisco about 35 years ago. His boy
hood days were passed at sch )oi, like
thousands of other boys Of his class.
Everything that money could buy or
love devise was his, and no thought
vi luNuit nlnt VI VNNA W
cured 10 him or to his over-indulgent
parents. Just as he was about to
graduate from the San Francisco high
school. one of the foremost In his
class, the misfortune which was to
engulf his future and leave him but
a bit of driftwood on life's ocean
came upon him. Both his parents
were stricken and died within a short
time of each other. A small fortune
OF $4,000 was left the orphan boy in
his own right, but not being of age
a guardian was appointed for him.
Twas the dishonesty of this guardian
that lost his entire estate and left
him entirely penniless. Too proud to
ask for aid of his former friends. he
suffered and starved for more than
year Then comes a period of two
years of which no amount of coaxing
or questioning will induce Sammy
TO speak. Whether the shadow of
some dark crime or the romance of
a tragic love affair obscureE these
two years Is secret which he Keeps
jealousy locked in his own heart.
That Sammy has had some love af-
fair, he will acknowledge with d sigh
and a shake of his head and then
deity turn the conversation into 9TH
er channels. He will speak freely of
his life from the time he was about
10 years old, and II is his proud
boast that. during most of that time
he was on the road, and has been in
nearly every state of the union.
Reared to regard work as a thing
beneath him. embittered by the dis
honesty and deceit of those hc trust
ed. 1t was an easy step down to the
low plane of a professional and dis
sipated beggar. When he took his
frst trip across the continent he was
"A novice in the art of tramping. and
was compelled to endure what he
terms hardships. because he had to
work most OF his way. He spent sew
eral months in Kansas and Missouri.
working In the harvest fields until he
obtained little money, then spend
ing his days in ease and his nights
~ nay SbaNh vi az eWptg snack.
When the little drib of money vas
gone, then came few more days of
work, which were days of torture to
the soul OF the ease-loving Sammy.
Soon firing OF the monotony of
Kansas wheat fields. he bummed his
way south and spent the winter in the
land OF corn juice and corn pone. In
the spring. when birds and tramps
come north, Sammy the Bum. with a
few other members Of his profession
eseonced themselves in an empty
freight car. with their pockets full of
cold handouts and few bottles OF
stale beer, and started their Journey
northward. He made his way TO the
lumber camps of the northwest and
II was while working there with n
buzzsaw that he got three fingers OF
his hand cut OF.
The end Of his first journey across
the continent found him in Phl,adel.
phia, where he remained quite III.
tie while, for the City OF Brotherly
Love is charitable town and easily
worked" Since then he has made
many trips across the country. but
none can compare in point Of hard.
ship with the frst when he was vet
unacQuainted with the mystic signs
and dark tricks Of the knights of The
road.
A Bible and pack OF cards are al
ways found in the luggage of this
professional tramp. The Bihls is al
most worn out. but he would not part
with II. for II has accompanied hin
In all HIS wanderings, He usually
wears several suits Of clothes in tn,
winter time. III could Just get m,