Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1876-02-09
Next to d neighborly wonder a,

between the Chnms, roustabouts
with whom the couple sailed con-
cerned themselves most with the
cause of the bond between them.
Their searches after first causes
were no more successful, however,
than those of the naturalists who
were endeavoring to ascertain who
laid the cosmic egg. They gave
out that they came from Carmi, so
once or twice when captains with
whom the Chums were engaged
determined to seek cargo up the
Wabash, the river upon which
Carmi was situated, inquisitive
roustabouts became light-hearted.
But, alas, for the vanity of human
hopes when the boat reached
Carmi the Chums could not be
found, nor could any Inhabitants
of Carmi identify them by the de-
scription which was given by en-
quiring friends.
AT length they became known in
their collective capacity, as one of
the institutions of the river. Cap
tains knew them as well as they
knew Natchez or Piankishaw Bend,
and showed them to distinguished
passengers as regularly as they
showed Gen. Zack Taylor's planta-
ton, or the scene of the Grand
Gulf "cave," where a square mile
of Louisiana dropped into the riv-
er one night. Captains rather cul-
tivated them, in fact, although it
was a difficult piece of business,
for roustabouts who wouldn't say
"thank YOU for glass of French
brandy, or genuine, old-fastioned
"plantation cigar" seemed desti-
tute of ordinary handles by which
steamboat captain could take
hold. Lady passengers took con-
siderable 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 see Black lose
his scared, furtive look when a lady |
addresse | and he appealed to Red,
until that worthy was drawn into
conversation. When Black sue
ceeded in this latter named opera
ton, he would, by insensible stages,
draw himself away, and give him
self up to enthusiastic admiration
Of his partner, or apparently, of
his conversational ability.
The spring OF 1869 found the
Cbums in the crew of the Bennett,
"the peerless floating palace of the
Mississippi as she was called by
those newspapers whose reporters
had the freedom of the Benefits
bar; aud the same season saw the
Bennett staggering down the Mis-
sissippi with so heavy q load Of
sacked corn that her gunwails
were fairly under water.
The river was very low, so the
Bennett kept carefully in the chan
mel for the great muddy ditch which
drains half the Union is as fickel as
disappointed lovers declare women
to be, and it has no more respect
FOR great steamer-loads of corn
than Goliah had for David. A lit
lie Ohio river boat, bound upwards,
had reported the sudden disappear
,nce of a woodward little way
above Milikin's Bends where the
hugged the shore, and with
he woodward there had disappear
I'd an enormous sycamore tree,
which had for years served as ty-
ing post for steamers. As live
sycamores are about as disinclined
10 float as bars of lead are, the cap
tain and pilot of the Bennett were
concerned---for the sake {
,f the corn-to know the exact
ocation of the tree.
Half mile from the spot it be-
,ame evident even to the pas.
sngers clustered forward on the
,abin deck, that the sycamore had ,
remained quite near its old home,
or q long, rough ripple was seen
lirectly across the line of the chan
nel. There arose the question as !
10 how much water was OIL top Of
he tree, and whether any bar had
time to accumulate. The steamer
was stopped, the engines reversed {
md worked by hand, to keep the
from drifting down stream
!, boat was lowered and manned,