Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-08-14
EVENING STAR.
SATCRDAY........ August IL. ls.5.
THE CARMI CHVMs.


men themselves were never mentioned in
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS collectively. No steam
boat captain who wanted only siu gle man
ever attempted TO hire half OF thu Carmi
Chums at a time-as easy would IL have
been TO have hired half OF the SIsmeSe
Twins. No steamboat mate who knew them
ever ATTEMPTED TO "teli Off, the Cnnr1S Igto
different watches. and any mate who. not
showing Them, committed this JiunGer, AMI
adhered TO IL after explanation was made,
was sure TO be two men short Immediately
after leaving the steamers next landing.
There seemed no possible way OF separating
them; they never fell out with each other In
the natural course of events; they never
fought when drunk, as other friendly roust-
abouts sometimes did, for the Carmi ClUmS
never got drunk; they never sprung up any
coOlness between them because of love FOR
the same lady. for they did not seem 10 care
at all Tor female society, unless they hap
pened TO meet some Old lady whom one might
love as mother rather than as sweetheart
Even professional ouSybOdieS, from whose
presence roustaboutS are no freer than church
members, were unable TO provoke the Carmi
Chums even to suspicion, and those OF them
VITO attempted IL too persistently were likely
to have difficulty with the siighter OF the
Chums. This man, who was called Black,
because OF the color of his hair, was appar-
emily forty years OF age, and OF very ordinary
appearance, except when an occasional fur
| tive, frightened look came into his face and
attracted attention. His companion. called
Red, because his hair was Of the hue of car
TOts, and because IL was occasionally neceS-
sary TO distinguish him from his friend.
seemed of about the same aga aud degree of
ordinariness as Black, but was rather stout.
or. more CHEEKY, and, to use the favor &c ro-rS-
| tabout simile, held his head closer 10 the cur
| rent. he seemed, when Black was absent
| minded (as he generally was while OF duty
| 10 be the leading spirit OF the couple, and TO
be tenderiy alive to all of his partners neeiS:
| but observing rOUstabOuts noticed that when
| freight was being moved, or wood taken on
board, Black was always where he could
| keep an eye On ms ciiul'., ana where he could
| derlsl.C instant renoIatiol from any wretch
who iroi uTOu LED yoes, or who with a
! TOUCHED Red with box or barrel.
! NeN- 10 nolgtborly wonder as, 10 the ex-
I l>tenoe Of the friends nip between the ChumS.
/ Tous;a5outs with whom the couple sailed
! concerned themselves most with the cause
| ot The DCnd between them. Their searches
after frs: causes were no more successful.
however, tEan those of the natGralistS who
| are enceaNor!ng TO ascertain Who lad the
! comic egg. They gave out tina, they came
! nom Carmi, SO, once or twice, when cap
! taics with whom the CLumS We're engaged
! determined to seek a cargo up the Wabash.
GICl which river C9rmi was located. InCuis-
| tive roustabouts became light-heaI ted. But,
/ alas, for the vanity OF human hopes, When
| the beat reached Carmi the Chums could not
| be ;Curd, nor could any inhahitant o: Carmi
| identify them by the descriptions which
| were given BY inluiring friends.
AT length they became known illtheir col
! lective capacity. as one oGthe institutions 81
| The river. Captains knew them as well rs
lhey knew Natchez or Piankishaw Bend,
| and showed them 10 distinguished paSseu-
| gers as regularly as they showed Gen. Zach.
| Taylor's plantation, or the scene of the
Grand Gulf cave" where a square mile OF
Louisiana dropped into the river one night.
| Captains rather cultivated them, in fact al
| though 1t was difficult bit of business for
roustabouts who wouldn't say "thank YOU
Tor glass of French brandy, or a genuine.
! Old fashioned plantation cigar seemed
destitute Of ordinary handles OF which
steamboat captain could take hold. Lady
/ passengers took considerable notice Of them.
| and were more successful than any one else
! at drawing them into conversation. The lin
| gulstic accon plishmepts of the ChumS were
! not numerous, but IL did one good TO see
| Black lose his scared furtiVe look when a
lady addressed him. and to see the affection
! ate difference with which he appealed 10 Red,
| until that worthy was taken into the con-
| versatiOn. When Black sgcceeted "a this
| latter-named operation, ne would by insensi-
bic stages draw him away, and give himself
! up to enthusiastic admiration Of his Part
! ner, or, apparently, Of his conversational
| ability.
TheSpring of 1859 found the Chums in tbs
| crew OF the Lt7pett, "thc peerless floating
! palace Of the Mississippi" as she was called
| By those newspapers whose reporters had the
! freedom OF the BeYHlett's bar; and the same
| season saw the Bennett staggering down the
| Mississippi with so heavy a load OF sacked
! corn, that the gunwales amidships were
| fairly under water. The river was very low
| 50 the Bennett kept carefully in the channel,
| bit the channel of the great muddy ditch
/ which drains half the Union is as tickle as
disappointed lovers declare woman 10 be.
| and il baS 10 more respect for great steamer
loads of corn than Goliath had 70. David. 4
| little Ohio river boat, bound upwards, mad
| reported the sudden disappearance Of q wool
| yard a Little way above Miiliken's Bend,
/ where the channel Rugged the shore, and
| win the woodward there had disappeared an
! enormous sycamore tree, which had for
| years served a. q tvlng-poSt for steamers
| AS live sycainores are about rs diSinciInej to
| float as bars Of lead are, the captain and J.. lot
/ OF the Bennett were somewhat concerned
! FOR tho sake Of The cOrn-tO know he exact
| location OF the tree. Half mile from the
! SPOT IL became evident, even TO the naSsen-
! gers clustered forward on the ca5in-deck
nat the sycamore had remained quite near
| its old home. for a long, rough ripple was
| seen directly across the line o. the channel.
| Then arose the question as 10 how much
water was on top OF the tree, and whether
| any bar had had time to accumulate. Tie
| steamer was stopped, the engines were re-
| versed and worked by hand to keep the Ben
| H@t from drifting downstream, boat was
! lowered and manned, the ChumS forming
| part OF her crew. and the second officer went
| Gown TO take soundiDgs, while the paSSen-
! gers, TO whom even so small a cause for eN-
| element was godsend, crowded the rail
| and stared.
! The boat shot rapidly down the stream.
| headed for the shore end OF the ripple. She
| seemed almost INTO the boiling mud in ircut
| Of her when Inc passengers or The steamer
| heard the mate IN tue beat shout:
| - Back, all ="
The motion OF the oars changed in an fr-
| slant, but "A little too late, for q heavy root
! OF the fallen giant, asst covered Oy the water.
| caught the little craft, and caused IL 20 ca
! reen so violently that one man was thrown
! lutO the water. As she righted, another man
| went in.
| IS ConIound it" growled the captain. who
| " as leaning out OF the pilOt-hOuse window.
- hope they can swim. Still, 'taiu't a. BAD
| as il would be II we had any more cargo 10
| take aboard"
| IT'S the Ccums, remarked tie pilot, TL.O
| bad brought a glass 10 bear upon the boat
| Thunder ~ exclaimed the captain, str <
| ing bell. " Below there Lower away an
| other boat-hvely!' Then, turning 70 the
passengers, he explained So Moody on the
| river "a forgive me if l lost the CLurls
| 'TwOuld be rs bad as BarnUm losing his q
! ralfe.'
The occupants OF the first beat were ev.-
| IDENTIFY OF the captains own mind, for taev
| were eagerly peering over her side, au,l into
the water.
Suddenly the pilot dropped his glass. ex-
! temporized trumpet with both hands, and
| shouted:
| 4" Forrard-fOrrard One OF ems upi"
| Then he put his mouth TO the speaking tube,
| and screamed 10 the engineer, g Let her drop
| down little, Billy"
The sounding party heaiod towards a
| black speck, apparently "a hundred yaTdS be-
| low them, and the great steamer slowly
driNed down stream. the Sreck novel to-
| wards shore, and The boat, rapidly shorten
! ing the distance, seeneI ID sc-ape the bank
| with her port oars.
"Safe enough now, l guess" exclaimed
4 .Irnpp Tr-Der Of Of Tho S1rr1C-l Illinois