The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1875-12-10
THE CARas1 eHUMs.

l
other roustabouts had each name of
his own SO had the Carmi Churns, for
that matter, but the men themselves
were never mentioned indiyidually-@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 hare hired half of the ST.
amese Twins. No stearnboatman who
knew them ever attempted to "tell of.
the Chums into different watches, and
any mate who, not knowing them, COM
mitted this blunder, and adhered to it
after explanation was made was sure to
he two men short Immediately after
leaving the steamers next landing.
There seemed no possible way of separat-
ing them they never fell out with each
other iE 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 hap
pcned to meet some old lady whom one
might love as mother rather than as a
sweetheart. Even professional busy
| bodies, from whose presence roustabouts
are no freer than church members, were
| unable to provoke the Carmi Chums
even to suspicion, and those of them
| who attempted it too persistently were
likely to have difficulty with the
slighter 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 appearance,
except when an occasional turtive fright
ened look came into his face and attract
ed attention. His companion, called
Red, because his hair was OF the hue of
carrots, and because it was occasionally
| necessary to distinguish him from his
friend, seemed of about the same age
and degree of ordinarincss as Black, but
was rather stouter, more CHEEKY, and, to
use the favorite roustabout simile, held
his head closer to the current He
seemed, when Black was absent minded
(as he generally was while off dutv),
to be tenderly alive toall of his partners
needs; but observing roustabonts no.
| ticed that when freight was being moved
or wood taken on board, Black was al
| ways where he could keep an eye on
his chum, ana where he could demand
instant reparation from any wretch who
trod upon Reds toes, or who with a
| shoulderload of wood grazed Reds
head, or touched Red with box or bar
| rel
Next to neighborly wonder as to
the existence of the friendship between
tho Chums, roustabouts with whom the
couple sailed concerned themselves most
with the course of the bond between
them. Their searches after first causes
| were no more successful, however, than
those of the naturalists who were endeav
| oring to ascertain who laid the cosmic
egg. They gave out that they came
frouI Carni, SO, once or twice, when
Captains with whom the chums were
engaged determined to seek cargo up
the Wabash, upon which river Carmi
was located, inquisitive roustabonts be-
came light But, alas, for the
vanity t:f hnman hopes when tie
boat reached Carmi the Chums could
not be found, nor could any inhabitant
of Carmi identify them by the descrip-
tions which were given by the inquiring
friends
AT length they became known, in
their collective capacity, as one of the
institutions OF the river. Captains knew
them as well as they knew Natchez or
Piankislaw Bend and showed therl to
distinguished passengers as regularly as
they showed General Zach. Taylor's
plantation, or the scene OF the Grand
Cult scave" where square mile OF
Louisiana dropped into the river one
night. Captains rather cultivated them
III tact, although it was difficult bit
OF business, for roustabouts who would't
say ssthank you' for glass of French
brandy, or a genuine, old fashioned
"plantation cigar" seemed destitute of
ordinary handles of which q steamboat
Captain could take hold. Lady pass
engers took considerable notice of them,
and were more successful than any one
else at drawing them into conversation.
The linguistic accomplishments OF the
Chums were not numerous, but it did
one good to zee Black lose his scared,
furtive look when lady addressed
him, and to see the affectionate deference
with which he appealed to Red, until
that worthy was drawn into the conver-
sation. When Black succeeded in this
latter named operation, he would by in
sensible stages draw himself away, and
give himself up to enthusiastic admira-
ton OF his partner or, apparently, of
his conversational ability.
The Spring of 1869 found the Chums
IN the crew of the Bennett, ssthe peer
less floating palace of the Mississippi 2
as she was cal hx1 f1eneo t,e,x.,x,,., s,.,re