"Her husband was almost in despair.She tried to cheer him up by telling him that if she went to Mr.Trueman she thought he would help them.So her husband agreed to let her try her chance, and she mounted a horse and set out for Prospect Farm.Just as she arrived there another woman came in and asked Mr.Trueman to sell her some wheat, telling him she had money to pay for it.Grandfather said he had very little wheat to sell but he could let her have a bushel or two.The old lady said her heart almost sank within her; she thought her case was hopeless.However, she told him she, too, had come for seed wheat, but she had no money nor the means of getting any at present, and they were entirely without seed.Grandfather turned to the other woman and said, 'You have money' go to Mr.----- (a neighbor), you can get as much as you want, and I will give this woman the grain.' Oh, how glad she felt! Words were too poor to express her thanks, and she went home rejoicing.In after years, when Providence had favored her with a goodly share of this world's goods, she could not tell this experience without the tears running down her cheeks.How true it is, 'The memory of the just is blessed.'"The following letter received from a son of Rev.William Black, is of some interest:
"HALIFAX, N.S., "27th Sept.1819.
"MR.WILLIAM TRUEMAN, "DEAR SIR,--Your favor of the 20th inst.is at hand, and in reply to it, as relates to the probable price of Butter, I would state it as my opinion that it is likely to command about 14d.A considerable quantity of Irish Butter has already arrived and more is expected.A number of firkins have this day been sold at public auction at 1s.per lb.,--the quality is said to be very fair.Please say to Mrs.Wells that I have received her letter of the 24th inst., and shall do as she requests.
Mrs.Black and family are well, and join me in best regards to Mrs.
Trueman, Yourself and Family.
"Yrs.Truly, "M.G.BLACK."
After Amos and Robert left Prospect for homes of their own, the family remained unchanged until 1820.That year, Mary, the second daughter, married William Humphrey, of Sackville.William Humphrey was a carpenter by trade but shortly after his marriage bought a farm in Upper Maccan and went quite extensively into farming and milling.
The Humphreys were from Yorkshire, and after coming to America, settled first at Falmouth, Nova Scotia.After the death of Wm.Humphrey, sen., Mrs.Humphrey, following the advice of her friend, Charles Dixon, moved to Sackville with her family of five children, three sons and two daughters.James Dixon says of Mrs.Humphrey, in his history of the Dixons: "She was evidently a capable woman," and judging from the position her descendants have taken in the new country he was probably right in his estimate.
As I remember the second William Humphrey, he was a man of more than ordinary intelligence, one who looked closely at both sides of a question, and with whom every new undertaking was well thought out beforehand.He had no place for the man who wanted to make a show.He was, for the times, a large employer of labor, and his men did not readily leave his employ.He was possessed of strong religious convictions, but was by no means demonstrative in such matters.His children were given good educational opportunities.Two of his sons studied and graduated at colleges in the United States, and two others were students at the old Academy, at Sackville.
The following letter, written by William, one of the sons who was educated in the United States, to his cousin Ruth, will show how graduates of that day looked upon life:
"NEW HAVEN, June 27th, 1853.
"DEAR COUSIN, "Your very welcome letter came to hand in due time, for which I am exceedingly obliged, especially as many of my correspondents have been dilatory and others have given me up altogether.But they probably have as much reason to complain of me as I have of them.The truth is my studies so occupy my attention that I am too much inclined to forget my friends.The acquisition of a profession presents such an immensity of labor that it would seem to require a lifetime to become proficient, especially when the small amount of energy that I can command is brought to bear upon it.However, I am not disposed to find fault with the labor so long as there is so much that is intensely interesting and I can make respectable progress towards the grand crisis of a student's life.
