Zack and the Validators: Good as Gold

By Wayne Hunt

This third book in a series continues the adventures of Zack, a handsome and intelligent donkey, and his donkey friends Zelda, Willie, and Pedro. Zack and his three donkey friends are faced with a new problem. Unless the horses on Mr. Bumbys horse ranch join the farm animals at the new Donohue Historic Farm Center, the center is not likely to be successful. Believing that the horses have more talents than just running races, Zack and his friends must find a way to discover those talents. Again, using one of Profound Pigs brilliant ideas, Zack and his friends begin a new positive mission. With the help of Profound Pigs uncle, Professor Pig, they begin to teach the animals to look for the good in others. The idea is to see a good quality or talent in another animal, tell them about it, and ask them to use it to help others. With this new idea, the horses do discover their other good talents and decide to use them at the new Donohue Historic Farm Center. This new idea of Professor Pig is called validation of others. It is so successful that it becomes the new mission of Zack and the Validators, the name Zack and his donkey friends take on as a new singing group.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Sep 2, 2011
• ISBN: 9781465358172

Wayne Hunt

Wayne Hunt had a very successful managerial career with the U.S. Forest Service. Following his retirement, he studied creative writing with the Institute for Children’s Literature. His pre-teen children’s books contain natural resource settings and positive, character building messages. This fourth book in a series, Zack and the Validators: Spirit Bridge, takes his donkey characters from San Francisco, through Alaska, to the Klondike gold rush territory in Canada, where they rescue Zack’s injured uncle. His uncle eventually discovers his good talent of being a ‘bridge for others’, and stays in Alaska to help build the ‘Spirit Bridge’ for migrating caribous to cross over Dead Horse Gulch. Based on some Tlingit Indian beliefs, this bridge will also be used by the spirits of the dead horses, who died during the Klondike gold rush, to cross over to a heavenly, Great Spirit Land. Wayne lives in Madison, Wisconsin, where he enjoys writing his books, among many other activities. He works part-time at the Overture Center for the Performing Arts, and the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. He’s also an active member of his Catholic church and a volunteer in the spiritual care departments of three hospitals. Information about his books can be viewed at his website: www.waynehunt.us. He can also be found on: www. facebook.com.

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Copyright © 2011 by Wayne Hunt.

ISBN:          Softcover                                 978-1-4653-5816-5

                   Ebook                                      978-1-4653-5817-2

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

This book was printed in the United States of America.

To order additional copies of this book, contact:

Xlibris Corporation

1-888-795-4274

www.Xlibris.com

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104579

Contents

Preface

Chapter 1 Grand Opening Not So Grand

Chapter 2 Race Horses Have Other Talents

Chapter 3 Seeing Good in Others

Chapter 4 The Validators Are Born

Chapter 5 Who Is Uncle Harry?

Chapter 6 Leaving Yosemite

Chapter 7 Mariposa, Spanish for Butterfly

Chapter 8 More Gold Than Bears

Chapter 9 Coulterville’s Many Saloons

Chapter 10 Chinese Gold Miners

Chapter 11 Jimtown’s Railtown

Chapter 12 Queen of the Southern Mines

Chapter 13 Two Angels and Jumping Frogs

Chapter 14 San Andreas’ Unsaintly Bandits

Chapter 15 Jackson’s Botellas

Chapter 16 Sutter Creek’s Rich Mines

Chapter 17 The Golden or Gilded Town

Chapter 18 Old Dry Diggins, Hangtown, or Placerville?

Chapter 19 Where Gold Was Discovered

Chapter 20 More History at Placerville

Chapter 21 Sutter’s New Helvetia at Sacramento

Chapter 22 John Muir’s California Home

Chapter 23 The California Journey Ends

Dedication

This book is dedicated to the memory of California’s pioneers who came to California in search of gold. Whether or not they found gold, their desire and courage contributed significantly to California’s land development and to America’s development as a great nation. It is also dedicated to John Muir whose love for California and its beautiful wilderness areas led to America’s public policies to conserve and protect its most valuable natural resources. And last but not least, it is dedicated to the many California museum and visitor center workers who commit themselves daily to preserving their state’s wonderful history and heritage.

Preface

This third book in a series continues the adventures of Zack, a handsome and intelligent donkey, and his donkey friends Zelda, Willie, and Pedro. The first book, Zack’s Point of View: Ants and Turnips, creates the animal characters on a small farm setting in west Yosemite National Park. Faced with significant problems on the farm, Zack, the main character, must become the farm animals’ leader to help save the farm from being sold. Zack must also rescue his parents and Zelda from a life as pack animals in the far eastern Yosemite National Park area. To accomplish this, he must reach deep within himself to build his faith in God and trust that He will help him through his difficulties. With the support of his Uncle Joseph, a retired Catholic priest; his new friend, Silver Streak, a retired race horse; and Profound Pig, a plain pig who has brilliant insight about positive thinking, Zack comes through his difficulties with a new-found belief in God, himself, and his friends.

He is then prepared to enter the next phase of his life’s adventures in the second book, Zack’s Turnips Lessons: Ideally Positive. In this episode, Zack continues to use Profound Pig’s brilliant positive thinking idea of ‘turnips’. By creating positive words for each letter of ‘turnips,’ Zack develops a lesson plan to teach the animals to be ‘ideally positive’. His wise Uncle Joseph helps him teach the lessons. As the animals learn to have a more positive outlook on life, they naturally become more productive in their farm work. As a result, they produce more farm income. This, of course, makes the farm’s owner, Mr. Bumby, very happy. He therefore decides not to sell the farm. Once again, Zack’s strong leadership saves the farm.

Zack’s adventures continue in this third book, Zack and the Validators: Good As Gold. Zack and his three donkey friends are faced with a new problem. Unless the horses on Mr. Bumby’s horse ranch join the farm animals at the new Donohue Historic Farm Center, the center is not likely to be successful. Believing that the horses have more talents than just running races, Zack and his friends must find a way to discover those talents. Again, using one of Profound Pig’s brilliant ideas, Zack and his friends begin a new positive mission. With the help of Profound Pig’s uncle, Professor Pig, they begin to teach the animals to look for the good in others. The idea is to see a good quality or talent in another animal, tell them about it, and ask them to use it to help others. With this new idea, the horses do discover their other good talents and decide to use them at the new Donohue Historic Farm Center. This new idea of Professor Pig is called ‘validation’ of others. It is so successful that it becomes the new mission of Zack and the Validators, the name Zack and his donkey friends take on as a new singing group.

However, an urgent telegram received about Zack’s Uncle Harry, who lives in Alaska, drastically changes their mission territory. Uncle Harry’s eyes are injured in a gold mine explosion and he needs special medical help. Zack’s dad and Uncle Joseph are not able to travel to help him so Zack volunteers to do it. Zack’s friends, Zelda, Willie, and Pedro, also volunteer to help. This episode begins their long journey to Alaska which first starts in California’s Gold Rush country as they make their way to San Francisco to board a ship for Skagway, Alaska.

As the four donkeys make this journey on a wagon pulled by two work horses, Frederick and Gibson, they travel through many historic towns located in California’s Gold Rush country. By touring these towns and their museums, they learn a lot about how gold was discovered, how it was mined, and how people lived during that historic time. And with the idea of their new mission clearly in mind, they begin to teach the people in these towns about ‘validating’ other people by telling them about the good they see in them. In addition, Zack and his friends begin to learn something about how John Muir influenced the establishment of Yosemite National Park and other National Parks. Each night by the campfire, before the animals go to bed, Zack reads a few paragraphs from John Muir’s books*, My First Summer in the Sierra and A Thousand Mile Walk to the Gulf. They enjoy listening to Muir’s beautiful words about the Sierra foothills as they traveled through them. They also begin to appreciate Muir’s great contribution to America’s public lands’ conservation effort. Along their journey to San Francisco, they have an opportunity to visit John Muir’s Martinez, California home site which is now a National Historic Site. At the end of this third book is a tribute to John Muir which summarizes his life and highlights his contributions to natural resource conservation.

This is a fictional book in that the characters and their story are fiction. However, the facts, dates, and historical information about the Gold Rush towns are factual, as much as I, the author, am able to determine them. I used many books, internet information sources, and pamphlets from the towns’ visitor bureaus to obtain my information. I tried my best to write the historical information in my own words. Except for the quotes from John Muir’s two books*, any copying of exact wording is unintentional and I apologize in advance if I’ve inadvertently done that. In addition to collecting historical information from many sources, I traveled to every town named in my book to collect information first hand by visiting museums, touring the towns, and photographing buildings and sites. The dates at the beginning of Zack’s journal entries for each town represent the approximate dates of my travel.

*The quotes from these two books are taken from the omnibus volume, John Muir, The Eight Wilderness Discovery Books, published by The Mountaineers, Seattle, Washington.

Chapter 1

Grand Opening Not So Grand

Places, everyone! Zack’s dad shouted over the excited, nervous chatter of the farm animals. It’s almost time to open the new Donohue Historic Farm Center!

The farm animals cheered! They also began to congratulate one another. Zack’s dad smiled and then continued, All of you have worked very hard to get ready for this historic day. I’m so thankful it’s finally come. As we welcome our guests today, let’s remember our ‘turnips’ lessons and . . .

I can’t find my place! I can’t find my place! Gladys Goose screamed as she ran onto the stage among the fainting goat dancers. This caused the dancers to promptly faint. The unusual goats were threatened by Gladys’ sudden appearance and, of course, her screaming.

That old goose could find her place if she wore her new eyeglasses, Willie said to Zack and Pedro.

The three of them were placing the last row of chairs in front of the stage area. They wanted to be sure there were enough chairs for the large crowd expected to attend.

Poor soul, her eyeglasses are resting on her forehead. They’re still so new to her she’s forgotten where she placed them, Zack said with an understanding look on his face. Quick, let’s catch up with her before she runs off the stage and hurts herself!

Zack ran up the stage stairs, crossed over to where Gladys was running, and grabbed her.

Now, now, Gladys, your new eyeglasses are resting on your head. Here they are. Zack gently fitted them over her eyes. You just forgot where you put them. We all do that sometimes, Zack said reassuringly. He didn’t want to embarrass Gladys anymore than she already was.

Thanks, Zack, she said with much relief on her wrinkled white face. She looked around confusingly, still trying to find her place in the large center.

Gladys, you and the other geese will be located in the large demonstration hall. It’s next to the feed storage room, Zack said. You’ll have plenty of room for demonstrating the uses of geese feathers and also for cooking your delicious geese egg dishes.

Thanks very much, Zack, Gladys said.

She then walked carefully down the stage stairs. Zack pointed her in the right direction. He then turned his attention to the goats, helped them to their feet, and assured them that Gladys was no threat to them. She just couldn’t see well without her new eyeglasses.

As I was saying, Zack’s dad continued speaking to everyone, let’s try to be ideally positive today so our guests will be overjoyed with our new center. We want them to return frequently.

The animals hurried to their assigned areas to finish their preparation. Many were practicing what they’d say to the guests. The fainting goat dancers returned to their practice. Zack’s mom and Zelda prepared more homemade refreshments in the café’s kitchen. Holly Cow lined the cows up in their milking stalls and reminded them not to kick the milkers when their cold hands touched their warm udders. Bully Bob opened a large can of chocolate syrup to mix it with the fresh cow’s milk to make his famous chocolate milk shakes. The chickens excitedly laid more eggs so Zack’s mom could hard boil them. Everyone seemed just about ready for the large crowd.

Zack’s dad walked up the stage stairs, took the microphone from its stand, and announced very loudly so the farm animals on the inside and the large crowd waiting on the outside could hear.

Good morning and welcome everyone! I’m so thankful to announce the grand opening of the new Donohue Historic Farm Center. Please join us as we celebrate this historical moment to honor the farm’s founder, Mr. Donohue, and all the pioneers who’ve homesteaded the western Yosemite National Park area to make it what it is today.

With that announcement, Willie and Pedro opened the large double doors to the center. Neighboring farms animals with their many youngsters pushed eagerly ahead. Many animals quickly lined up at the old fashioned café to buy the tasty food that Zack’s mom and Zelda had prepared. Others ran to the stage area to find a front-row seat to watch the fainting goat dancers. A few animals trickled beyond the large main room to venture into the historic farm equipment room to see demonstrations of the old farm equipment. Old timers, who still used the equipment, told how each piece is used and which crops are cultivated with it. Most of the youngsters ran to the area where unusual farm games were being played and prizes were awarded to the lucky winners.

In this large main room is the stage and the center’s old fashion café, Henry Hounddog said to the local newspaper reporter. Henry, the historic center’s official television and newspaper contact, was showing the reporter around the center to inform him about the activities taking place.

As you can see, Henry continued, a unique group of fainting goat dancers is giving their artistic interpretation of their unusual way of protecting the sheep flock during the night hours. For example, when a wolf threatens the flock, a well trained goat simply faints in the pathway of the approaching wolf to delay him long enough for the sheep to run to safety. The wolf is expected to focus on the fainted goat instead of the many other goats. If the fainted goat is lucky, his terrible smell will be so repulsive to the wolf that he won’t be eaten. The goats are very talented in fainting and, of course, in smelling badly. Profound Pig, the farm’s expert in smelling badly, gladly helps them mix the right barnyard ingredients to create the perfect bad smell.

Henry and the reporter walked past the stage to the old fashioned café where Zack’s mom and Zelda were busy serving the hungry guests.

Welcome, we’ve got French fried turnips sprinkled with brown sugar just out of the deep fryer, Zack’s mom said as she welcomed Henry and the reporter. Would you gentlemen like a serving along with a cup of delicious hot apple cider? Zelda asked.

Sure would, replied the reporter. Me too, replied Henry. Everything smells delicious. I can’t wait to taste the turnips, the reporter said as he smelled the wonderful aromas of the unusual farm foods being prepared.

Zelda