Baldy of Nome

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Baldy of Nome

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Darling
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Title: Baldy of Nome
Author: Esther Birdsall Darling
Release Date: March 30, 2004 [eBook #11758]
Language: English
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BALDY of NOME
by
ESTHER BIRDSALL DARLING
Decorations by Hattie Longstreet

[Illustration: Baldy of Nome]

To My Mother
whose unfailing kindness to all animals is one of my earliest and
happiest memories

Contents
I. THE PARTING OF THE WAYS
II. WHERE EVERY DOG HAS HIS DAY
III. THE FIRST STEP
IV. THE PLODDER
V. THE WOMAN, THE RACERS, AND OTHERS
VI. TO VISIT THOSE IN AFFLICTION

VII. THE DAWN OF A TO-MORROW
VIII. A TRAGEDY WITHOUT A MORAL AND A COMEDY WITH
ONE
IX. WITH THE FLIGHT OF TIME
X. THE SOLOMON DERBY
XI. ONE SUMMER
XII. THE GREAT RACE
XIII. FOR THE SUPREMACY OF THE TRAIL
XIV. IMMORTALS OF THE TRAIL
Illustrations
THE RACING TEAM
"SCOTTY" ALLAN AND BALDY
THE ALASKA OF MEN AND DOGS June 1st--The steamer "Corwin"
at the edge of the ice, five miles from shore
THE WOMAN
NOME, ALASKA--FROM BERING SEA
THE START OF AN ALASKA DOG TEAM RACE
A TEAM OF SIBERIANS
"SHE HAD BEEN A MEMBER OF ONE OF THE MAIL TEAMS"
Eric Johnson, U.S. mail carrier on the Nome-Unalakleet Route
THE AIR WAS CRISP AND KEEN

THE TRAIL HAD GROWN EXCEEDINGLY ROUGH
KRUZAMAPA HOT SPRINGS
THE RAMSAY SIBERIANS
AN OVATION FOR THE PLUCKY LITTLE SCOTCHMAN
THE CAR COASTED DOWN ALL THE HILLS
"SCOTTY" ALLAN ON THE TRAIL
AN ALASKAN SWEEPSTAKES TEAM Fay Dalzene, driver
CAPTAIN HAAS OF THE FRENCH ARMY AND HIS ALASKAN
SLEDGES
BALDY OF NOME

I
The Parting of the Ways
[Illustration]

[Illustration]
Baldy of Nome
CHAPTER I
THE PARTING OF THE WAYS
Baldy knew that something was wrong. His most diverting efforts had
failed to gain the usual reward of a caress, or at least a word of
understanding; and so, dog-like to express his sympathy, he came close

beside his friend and licked his hand. Always, before, this had called
attention to the fact that Baldy was ready to share any trouble with the
boy--but to-day the rough and grimy little hand, stiff and blue from the
cold, did not respond, and instead only brushed away the tears that
rolled slowly down the pinched cheeks. Sometimes the slight body
shook with sobs that the boy tried manfully to suppress; but when one
is chilled, and tired and hungry, and in the shadow of a Great Tragedy,
the emotions are not easy to control.
With unseeing eyes and dragging steps, the boy trudged along the
snowy trail, dreading the arrival at Golconda Camp. For there was the
House of Judgment, where all of the unfortunate events of that most
unhappy day would be reviewed sternly, though with a certain harsh
justice, that could result in nothing less than a sentence of final
separation from Baldy. And so when the dog in his most subtle and
delicate manner showed his deep love for the boy, it only made the
thought of the inevitable parting harder to bear.
So completely was Ben lost in his own gloomy reflections that he did
not hear the sound of bells behind him; and it was not until a cheery
voice called out demanding the right of way that he stepped aside to let
a rapidly approaching dog team pass. As it came closer he saw that it
was the Allan and Darling team of Racers, and for the moment his eyes
brightened with interest and admiration as he noticed with a true
dog-lover's appreciation the perfect condition of the fleet-footed dogs,
and the fine detail of sled and equipment.
Then his glance fell upon Baldy--thin, rough coated, and showing
evidences of neglect; upon Baldy to whom he could not now even offer
food and shelter, and a wave of bitterness swept over him.
"Come along, sonny, if you're going our way," and in the kindly little
man at the handle-bars the boy recognized "Scotty" Allan, the most
famous dog driver in Alaska. To the boy "Scotty" represented all that
was most admirable in the whole North, and he stood speechless