The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1875-10-07
THE CARMI CHUMS.

The Carmi Chums was the name
they went by all along the river. Most
other roustabouts had each name of
bis own; SO had the Carmi Chums, for
that matter, but the men themselves
were never mentioned individually, al
ways collectively. No steamboat Cap
tain who wanted only single man ever
attempted to hire half of the Carmi
Chums at a time--as easy would it have
been to have hired half of the Siamese
Twins. No steamboat mate who knew
them ever attempted to ssten off, the
Chums into different watches, and any
mate who, not knowing them, commit
ted this blunder, and adhered to it after
explanation was made, was sure to be
two men short Immediately after leav-
ing the steamers next landing. There
seemed no possible way of separating
them; they never fell out with each
in the natural course of events they
never fought when drunk, as other
friendly roustabouts sometimes did, for
the Carmi Chums never got drunk !;
there never sprang up any GOODNESS be-
tween them because of love for the
same lady, for they did not seem to
care at all for female society unless they
happened to meet some old lady whom
one might love as a mother rather than
as sweetheart. Even professional
i busybodies, from whose presence roust-
ab0uts are no freer than church-mem-
bers, were unable to provoke the Carmi
Chums even to suspicion, and those OF
them who attempted it too persistently
were likely to have n difficulty with the
sGghter5 of the Chums. This man, who
was called Black, because of the color
Of his hair, was apparently forty years
Of age, and of very ordinary appear
ance, except when an occasional fur
tive, frightened look came into his face
and attracted attention. His compan-
ion, called Red, because his hair was
OF the hue of carrots, and because it
was occasionally necessaey to distin-
gnish him from his friend, seemed OF
about the same age and degree of or
dinariness as Black, but was rather
stouter, more CHEEKY, and, to use the
iavorite roustabout simile, held his head
closer to the current. He seemed
when Black was absent-minded Gas he
generally was while off duty)
70 be the leading spirit Of
the couple, and to be tenderly
alive to all of his partners needs
Dat observing roustabouts noticed that
when freight was being moved, OF wood
taken on board, Black was always
where he could keep an eye on his
ehum, and where he could demand in
Smt reparation from any wretch who
uod upon Reds toes, or who with q
shoAder-load of wood grazed Reds
aead, or touched Red with box or bar
Next to neighborly wonder as tt
ee existence of the friendship between
ne; Chunls, roustabouts with whom the
@Gpie sailed concerned themselves mos
~ the .cause of the bond betweea
Nem - Their searches after first cause:
scfo no more successful, however, thar
Msse OF the naturalists who are endeay
Mlng to ascertain who laid the cosmi.
they gave ont that they cam,
soM ,Carmi, so, once. OF twice, whel
Naptains with whom the Chums wer,
nsaged determined to seek cargo u,
ssae Wabash, upon which river Carm
Ns located, inquisitive roustabouts be
ssMe hght-hearted. But, alas, for tn
'anlly OF human hopes! when the boa
saehed Carmi the Chums could not b
,Oand nor could any inhabitant of Car
II identify them by the description
'aca were given by inquiring friends