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Baldy of Nome by Esther Birdsall Darling
page 25 of 184 (13%)
to horrified audiences; a pride which is not seemly save for great
worth and good deeds. Yet in spite of these grave faults of character
Dubby accorded McMillan the recognition due his wonderful strength and
keen intelligence; for Dubby, while intolerant of mere speed, was ever
alert to find the sterner and more rugged qualities in his associates.

Perhaps it was partly because Baldy possessed no trivial graces and
manifested no disdain for the homely virtues of the work dogs whose
faithfulness has won for them an honorable place in the community, that
Dubby had soon given unmistakable signs of friendliness that helped to
make Baldy's new home endurable.

While Dubby's championship was a great comfort, there were many things
of every-day occurrence that surprised and annoyed Baldy. Out of the
bewilderment that had at first overwhelmed him he had finally evolved
two Great Rules of Conduct, which he observed implicitly--to Pull as
Hard as he Could, and to Obey his Driver. This code of ethics is perfect
for a trail dog of Alaska, but it was in the minor things that he was
constantly perplexed--things in which it was difficult to distinguish
between right and wrong, or at least between folly and wisdom. To tell
where frankness of action became tactlessness, and the renunciation of
passing pleasures a pose. It was particularly disconcerting to see that
virtue often remained unnoticed, and that vice just as often escaped
retribution; and what he saw might have undermined Baldy's whole moral
nature, but for the simple sincerity that was the key-note to his
character. As an artless dog of nature he was accustomed, when the world
did not seem just and right to him, to show it plainly--an attitude not
conducive to popularity; and it often made him seem surly when as a
matter of fact he was only puzzled or depressed. He could not feign an
amiability to hide hatred and vindictiveness as did the Tolmans, and it
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