Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1909-03-19
SISSY" Of Chicago.

copyright, 1905, by T. c. McClure.1
SISSY" Floss was at Chicago. His
father had left him 81, 900, and he
had been through college and Travelled.
He vas called "Sissy" because he was
short and slight and effeminate.
The young man had accompanied a
friend to New York to see him off for
Europe. The steamer sailed In the
afternoon, and soon after her depar-
ture SISSY fell In with a couple of
college chums. A dinner and a trip to
Chinatown were planned md came off.
The effeminate was only FIVE feet tall,
and his weight was only 10 pounds,
and his voice was like that Of a girl.
but when he cut loose to have a good
time he was all there. The trio were
Summing the slums In the most ap-
proved fashion when a row took place,
and SISSY" was separated from his
companions. He had imbibed too much
to know whether he was In Baltimore
or Boston or to make much of a de-
Tense, and at the end of FIVE minutes
he vas very much In the hands of the
Philistines. The gang foored him and
went through him up to his collar but
ton. They dragged him into a cellar,
stripped off his clothes and gave him
an old Bowery suit In exchange and
left him to come to or pass in his
checks. He was In al undecided state
when the keeper of a Cherry street
boarding house came along and took
in the situation. He also took SISSY"
In. He wanted one more hand to make
up a crew for a bark sailing for Bris-
toll next day, and it made very little
difference whether he got a live or a
dead man.
When SISSY Floss awoke next
morning he was lying In a bunk In the
deck house of the White Wings, which
craft was at anchor off Liberty island
and making ready to begin her voyage.
He didn't awake until he was being
pulled out of his bunk by the second
mate, who was also damning his eyes,
his ears, his nose and other portions of
his anatomy in the language OF the
deep blue sea. After being landed on
the floor with a bump the young mar
was hlChtd OuL OI 0O(h II hCA up
and down the decks. This was to
arouse his enthusiasm for a life on the
ocean wave. SISSY realized almost
at once that he was being booted, but
1t took him some time to figure out
why he wasn't In his room at the Wal
dorf. While he was puzzllng over 1t he
was booted some more, and the bark
got under way. She was off Fire is
land before the victim got 1t through
his head that he had been s%hanghaied
and was being carried to sea. A pro-
test was In order, and SISSY went
aft to the captain to make 1t.
"What are you doing here?" roared
that officer.
"I want to state my case"
Cease? You miserable little skulker,
what have you got to say for yourself?
QutlEith It'll,
The story was told. The captain lis
tened to 1t, with a grin and a sneer on
his face, and then exclaimed:
"You are a blankety-blank liar! You
signed articles Of your own free will.
You are a pickpocket or a green goods
man that wants to get away from the
police for awhile. Turn to and don't
let me hear another word. If you keep
this thing up there won't be as much
as IN eyebrow left of you by the time
we reach the other side."
SISSY started to protest and was
kicked off the poop. In going forward
he was cuffed by the chief mate and
kicked by the second, and, although
more fit for the hospital than the
decks Of a ship, he was turned to and
set to work. From that time on his
days were anything but joyous. He
was n protesting sailor. In the eyes of
captain and mates he could not be a
worse villain. He was made ships
boy. Nothing was too dirty to set him
at. The cook stood In with the after
guard and gave him many a kick and
cuff. and the nearer the bark got to
England's shores the worse the mates
hazed him.
After the first interview with the
captain SISSY made no more pro-
tests. He began to rise to the occa-
sion. He recorded the kicks and cuffs
In a diary. The last entry was made
when three days from port. He neg
lected to add Sir when answering
the second mate and was knocked
down and given a pair of black eyes.
Then as soon as the bark had made
fast to a wharf he was kicked ashore
and told not to return under penalty of
death.
Two hours after the last kick the
young man had satisfied the American
consul of his Identity. A %cablegram to
Chicago brought him several thousand
dollars within the next twenty-four
hours. Two days later, when he had
properly clothed himself, he brought
about another emergency. This time 1t
was for the captain, mates and cook
- 49, Ls.L- - siss = ~ x.a..s.As