Esther Birdsall Darling (1868–1965)

Luck of the Trail is a great example of a fun old dog adventure book. Copyright 1933. The boy Blake is from a well- to- do family whose family fortunes have taken a turn. He has to leave his home to go to Alaska to stay with his father and stepmother. On the way heading north, he takes on a dog who lived on the docks and who was found defending the body of the dogs recently killed terrier friend. Another boy wanted him but couldn’t so pleaded for someone to take him:

“These here city show more rooms ain’t big enough fer a decent kennel. I wish you could’a had him; but if you can’t, mebbe somebody else here’d like t’ own a dog that’s showed what a good friend he kin be- feedin’ an’ takin’ care o’ that pore little terrier. Speak up, folks. Here’s your chance fer a chum that’ll stick t’ you through thick an’ thin. Even” – he cleared his throat slightly – “even when your’re dead. Who says he’s theirs?”

Love the language in the book, when things were swell, sometimes jolly, and gay meant lighthearted and carefree. Here is what was said after he took on the dog:

“You’re gittin’ a rich claim in this here pup. Guts and brains; an’ I reckon affection the way he took t’ you right off the bat. And believe me,” with the vivid memory of the dog’s bristling hair and bared fangs as he had defended the body of Pluck, “he’s a claim that no one else is goin’ t’ jump neither. He kin,” with an admiring glance at the powerful build of Luck, “lick his weight in wildcats.”

There are like 5 or 6 good rescue moments in the book. A villain named Black Mart Barclay. A rival named Fatty Peters who is preventing him from getting into the Bow-Wow Wonder Workers club. ‘Only the fellows who can drive dogs and handle them well can become members. A high-school boy isn’t rated very much if he doesn’t get in.”

After Luck’s first rescue, it is said:

“Blake, I reckon them Seattle newsboys must-a took him t’ the movies t’ see Rin-tin-tin do his stuff. Why, that actor dog allers clumb ladders, er jumped inter the water, er through winders jest in the nick o’ time t’ save his master; and Luck’s ‘zackly like him.

When Blake first takes his sled dog team through town, with Luck as a loose leader, (apparently then it was allowed to have a dog loose from the rest of the team to lead them on), there is a bit of keystone comedy with his lead dog Tom harnessed in the team:

Blake saw that a collision was inevitable either with the woman and the baby sled or with Nellie. He yelled, “Gee” to Tom, and Tom responded with such energy that the team grazed the mare’s legs, much to her resentment. She reared back, and her loaded sled struck a post on which was a fire-alarm box. The alarm sounded so instantly and efficiently that soon the already congested street was filled with the entire fire-fighting forces of Nome.

I didn’t see much evidence of any racism other than a reference at one point of a ‘chinc’ cook. I didn’t see any evidence of sexism either, except maybe:

“Only I eased it down a mite when I told her how I feel about women handling dogs. It just ain’t in their natures to do it proper. They spoil ‘em something awful; even her, and she’s about the best she-driver in Nome. But women can’t ever seem to learn that the dogs in this country are workers and not pets.“

No Kleenex needed at the end of the book.

So, a friendlier version of your call of the wild adventure book. Lots of good Lassie type rescues. Enjoyable expressions of the day and descriptions of Alaska from before 1933. I would highly recommend it and look forward to reading her other books as I get my hands on ‘em. show less

Luck of the Trail is a great example of a fun old dog adventure book. Copyright 1933. The boy Blake is from a well- to- do family whose family fortunes have taken a turn. He has to leave his home to go to Alaska to stay with his father and stepmother. On the way heading north, he takes on a dog who lived on the docks and who was found defending the body of the dogs recently killed terrier friend. Another boy wanted him but couldn’t so pleaded for someone to take him:

“These here city show more rooms ain’t big enough fer a decent kennel. I wish you could’a had him; but if you can’t, mebbe somebody else here’d like t’ own a dog that’s showed what a good friend he kin be- feedin’ an’ takin’ care o’ that pore little terrier. Speak up, folks. Here’s your chance fer a chum that’ll stick t’ you through thick an’ thin. Even” – he cleared his throat slightly – “even when your’re dead. Who says he’s theirs?”

Love the language in the book, when things were swell, sometimes jolly, and gay meant lighthearted and carefree. Here is what was said after he took on the dog:

“You’re gittin’ a rich claim in this here pup. Guts and brains; an’ I reckon affection the way he took t’ you right off the bat. And believe me,” with the vivid memory of the dog’s bristling hair and bared fangs as he had defended the body of Pluck, “he’s a claim that no one else is goin’ t’ jump neither. He kin,” with an admiring glance at the powerful build of Luck, “lick his weight in wildcats.”

There are like 5 or 6 good rescue moments in the book. A villain named Black Mart Barclay. A rival named Fatty Peters who is preventing him from getting into the Bow-Wow Wonder Workers club. ‘Only the fellows who can drive dogs and handle them well can become members. A high-school boy isn’t rated very much if he doesn’t get in.”

After Luck’s first rescue, it is said:

“Blake, I reckon them Seattle newsboys must-a took him t’ the movies t’ see Rin-tin-tin do his stuff. Why, that actor dog allers clumb ladders, er jumped inter the water, er through winders jest in the nick o’ time t’ save his master; and Luck’s ‘zackly like him.

When Blake first takes his sled dog team through town, with Luck as a loose leader, (apparently then it was allowed to have a dog loose from the rest of the team to lead them on), there is a bit of keystone comedy with his lead dog Tom harnessed in the team:

Blake saw that a collision was inevitable either with the woman and the baby sled or with Nellie. He yelled, “Gee” to Tom, and Tom responded with such energy that the team grazed the mare’s legs, much to her resentment. She reared back, and her loaded sled struck a post on which was a fire-alarm box. The alarm sounded so instantly and efficiently that soon the already congested street was filled with the entire fire-fighting forces of Nome.

I didn’t see much evidence of any racism other than a reference at one point of a ‘chinc’ cook. I didn’t see any evidence of sexism either, except maybe:

“Only I eased it down a mite when I told her how I feel about women handling dogs. It just ain’t in their natures to do it proper. They spoil ‘em something awful; even her, and she’s about the best she-driver in Nome. But women can’t ever seem to learn that the dogs in this country are workers and not pets.“

No Kleenex needed at the end of the book.

So, a friendlier version of your call of the wild adventure book. Lots of good Lassie type rescues. Enjoyable expressions of the day and descriptions of Alaska from before 1933. I would highly recommend it and look forward to reading her other books as I get my hands on ‘em. show less