Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1876-03-07
Seltttta Storp.
THE CARMI CHUMS,
a nississiPpi River Story.

III
50 aaa The Carmi Chums, for that matter
oni the men themselves were never
mentioned NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. collec.
lively No steamboat captain who
wanted only a single man, ever attempted
to hire hat OF the Carmi Chums AT 3
ume-as easy would il have been 10
have hired halt Ci The Siamese twins.
No steamboat mate who knew them
ever attempted TO tell off, The Chums
into different watches. and any mate " ho,
not knowing them. committed this blum.
der. and adhered to it after e1 plana tiou
vas made. vas sure 10 be two men
short immediately alter 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 eveu's; they never
fought when drunk, as other hieudly
roustabouts sometimes cid Tor the Calmi
Coums never 60, drunk; there never
sprung up between them any coolness
because OF love for the same lady.
unless they happened to NEE, some
o.d lady whom one might love as =
mother rather than as sweetheart.
Even professional busy bodies. from
whose presence roustAbouts are no freer
than church members, were unable 10
provoke the Csrmi Chums even TO sus
picion. and those Of them who attempted
II too persistenily were likely 10 have a
difficulty with the slighter Of the
Chums. This man, who was called
Black because Of the color Of his hair.
was apparently IortY years OF age; and
Of very ordinary appearance. except
when an occasional iurtivc. frightened
look came into his iace and attracted
attention. His companion called Red =.
because his hair WAS the hue OF carrots.
and because IL was occasionally neces.
sary 10 distinguish him from bis friend
seemed OF about the same age and degree
OF ordinArineSs as Black, but was rather
s;ouier. more CHEEKY, and. 10 use the
iavori,e roustabout simile, held his head
closer 10 The current. lie seemed when
Black was absent. minded (as he gener-
ally Was while OF duty)to be the leading
spiri. of the couple. aud 10 be tenderly
Sliye 10 al his partners needs; but
observing rouSiabouts noticed that whe u
freight was being moved, or wood taken
on board. Black WAS always where he
could keep al eye on his chun. and
where he could demand instant repsra-
ton from any wretch who trod on Red 5
toes, or who with = shoulder-load Of
wood erazed Reds head. or touched Red
with box or barrel.
Next to q neigbborly wonder as TO the
existence OF the friendship between III
chums .toustabouts with whom the couple
sailed, concerned themselves most with
the cause OF the bond between Them.
Their searches after frst causes were no
more successful. however. than those OF
the nstuIalisls who are endeAvorlng TO
ascertain who laid the cOsmic egg. They
gave out that they came from Carmi. SO,
once or twice. when captains with whom
The ebums were engaged determined 10
seek a cargo up the Wabash. upon which
river Carmi was located. inquisiIiSe
rouslAbou,s became light hearted. But.
slss. for the vanity OF human hopes
when the boat reached Carmi, the Chums
could not be found, nor could any
inbAbi,aut OF Carmi identity them by The
descriptions which were given by en-
curing friends
A, length they became known, in their
collective capacity, Us one OF the insiitu-
,ions OF the river. Captains knew them
ss well as they knew Naichez or Planki-
shaw Bend. and showed them to
distinguished passengers AS regularly as
they showed General Zach, Taylor's
plantation. or the scene OF The Grand
/ Cnlf cave" " here q square mile OF
Louisiana dropped into the riSer~one
uigh.. Captains rather cultivated them
i, fact. although il was difficnlt oit ei
bu.iuess. for roustabouls who Wouldn
say thank you." for glass oil Freneh
brandy, or a genuine. old fashioned
plantation cigar" seemed destitute oi
o-5i,srv handles of which steamboat
csp,sin could take bold. Lady Psssen-
Oers took considerable uoiice oil them'
.,d were more successful than any one
else in drawing them into conversation
The linguistic accomplishments oi the
Cbnms were not numerous, but II dld
one good TO see Black lose bis scared
,p,tiye look when lady addressed him'
and 70 see the sGeclionaie deierahce
with which he appealed TO Red, unII
,ha, worthy was drawn into The conVel'
..,iop. When Black succeeded IN 'nis
later named operation, be woulu Oi
inseusibie stages draw himself away ano
gave himself up to enthusiastic sdmira'
ton OF bis par; ner, or apparently oi n''
conversational ability
The spring of 1869 found the Cnum'
- The crew oi the Bennett, lube peerless
ava,ing palace OF The Mississippi as she
w,s called by those newspapers "lo'
...,.,s had the freedom oil the Ben