Trueman

“ Trueman aceosted the youth, and offered to assist him in carrying his load; a proposal which the youngster readily accepted, telling him, at the same time, that he had been to a neighbouring farmer for cheese and butter; and that his sister had got two jugs of milk for his brothers' breakfasts.--"And what is your name?" said Trueman.--"Benley, sir; and we live in yonder cottage," pointing to a small house.
"Charlotte," said the youth, "here is a gentleman has kindly carried my basket for me; and, as you complain the jugs are too heavy for you, I dare say he will help you too." ”

“ Trueman, if the applause of the whole world, on the score of abilities, which did not add any real lustre to my character, could afford me matter of exultation. The approbation of my own heart, the humble hope of pleasing the Most High, elevates my soul ”

“ When he finds himself alone Trueman walks back and forth in the cramped room. He is weighing a question that has never before been put to a man.
There is no doubt in his mind as to the sincerity of Nevins. It is clear that this strange man, who, in a matter-of-fact way, asserts that he holds the power of a great convention in his grasp, could have used it for base ends; he could have chosen a man of less inflexible character than Trueman. ”

“ O my beer!"
"There's sweet water i' the brook yonder!" says I.
"You be a chap wi' no bowels, for sure!" he cried. "Aye, a hard man you be!"
"'Tis a hard world," says I, "but 'tis no matter for that, tell me of Sir Richard Brandon."
"Why then, you must know I am Myles Trueman—"
"And truly, man, there be miles of you, but 'tis no matter for that either—what of Sir Richard?"
"I do be coming to he," says Trueman in surly tone. "I do farm Sir Richard's land—a hard man, see you, though just." ”

“ Trueman is a first-rate fellow—a regular brick, you know, even if he is a preacher. You ought to have seen how he stood up for them Yankee prisoners, and got our fellows to share their rations with them, although he had helped to bag the game himself. ”

“ The blush of guilt has crimsoned thy face, that sudden start proclaim thee false!
‘Tell me,’ said Trueman, ‘the grounds you have raised suspicion of my honour.’
‘This will inform you, sir; a friend of Miss Benley advises her to be on her guard. Trueman is not what he seems, but harbours designs destructive of her peace and honour. ”

“ So I packed her off, with her child in her arms, to the workhouse; with orders to the overseers not to let her want for any thing."
"And what right have you, Mr. Fantom," cried Trueman in a high tone, "to expect that the overseers will be more humane than yourself! But is it possible you can have sent that helpless creature, not only to walk, but to carry a naked child at such a time of night, to a place so distant, so ill provided, and in such a condition? I hope at least you have furnished them with clothes; for all their own little stores were burnt." ”

“ As she drew near, he recognized a worthy Canadian matron, whom he had, more than once, seen in his congregation in the school-house at the village of Chippewa.
"Why, Mrs. Secord!" he exclaimed, reining up his horse as she attempted to pass him, furtively trying to conceal her face, "are not you afraid to be so far from home on foot, when the country is so disturbed?"
"Thank God it is you, Mr. Trueman!" she eagerly replied. "I was afraid it might be one of the American scouts. 'Home,' did you say? I have no home," she added in a tone of bitterness. ”

“ It is our benevolence which makes us reject your creed; we can no more believe in a Deity who permits so much evil in the present world, than one who threatens eternal punishment in the next.
Trueman. What! shall mortal man be more merciful than God? Do you pretend to be more compassionate than that gracious Father who sent his own Son into the world to die for sinners?
Fantom. You take all your notions of the Deity from the vulgar views your Bible gives you of him. "To be sure I do," said Trueman. "Can you tell me any way of getting a better notion of him? ”

“ To reinforce this ironic self-indictment by Citt and Bumpkin, L'Estrange introduces a third character, Trueman, who enters like a deus ex machina to represent the abstract forces of truth, justice, and morality—albeit with a Tory bias. Because he functions as an abstract symbol in contrast with Citt and Bumpkin, who [Pg viii] are very much of this world, Trueman has a personality uncomplicated by any psychological subtleties or idiosyncrasies which would emphasize his humanity. ”

“ Of the twenty members of the second generation now living, the women outnumber the men thirteen to seven. Five of the twenty are octogenarians, two—Martin Trueman, of Point de Bute, and Thompson Trueman, of Sackville—have reached the patriarchal age of eighty-seven years. The former in one particular is like the late Mr. Gladstone—he takes his recreation with the axe. He has prepared many cords of wood for the stove in the last few years.
The first Trueman family were not strong men, but they were persistent workers, and could accomplish more in a given time than men of much stronger build. ”

“ Trueman upbraids the first speaker with dishonesty and want of humanity.
“ ‘Humanity,’ says Sparkes, ‘odds my life! neighbour, there’s not a more tenderhearted fellow alive. Many is the life my boat, when I was in the fishing trade, has saved from pure good-will; but as to the matter of the wrecking, every man must take care of [pg 244] his own interest. Charity, you know, Master Trueman, should begin at home.’ ” And he goes on to say that it was no fault of his that the vessel bulged, or that the master or cabin-boy were drowned ”

“ Shame on you, Antony! Put a price on your own flesh and blood! Shame on such foul traffic! Mr. Tiffany
Save me--I conjure you--for my father's sake. Adam Trueman
For your father's son's sake I will not aid you in becoming a greater villain than you are! Gertrude
(C.) Mr. Trueman--Father, I should say--save him--do not embitter our happiness by permitting this calamity to fall upon another-- Adam Trueman
Enough--I did not need your voice, child. I am going to settle this matter my own way. (Goes up to Snobson--who has seated himself and fallen asleep--tilts him out of the chair.) ”

“ Do you want a few firkins of butter this fall? I have given Harmon Trueman an order on you bearing date of 7th Sept. "I am your humble servant, "WM. TRUEMAN."
The following letter, a copy of which is among the papers at Prospect, also adds some information about trade at that time:
"WESTMORELAND, March 7th, 1812. "MR. JOHN ALBRO: "Dear Sir,—I hope these lines will find you and Mrs. Albro and family enjoying health and every other blessing. I take this opportunity to inform you that I expect to have 12 or 14 oxen to dispose of this summer. I wish you to have the preference. ”

“ He knew every knoll and hollow of the old farm. He thought everyone who had the Trueman blood in him ought to feel on excellent terms with himself after hearing so many nice things said about the family.
"Prof. Andrews, who followed, agreed with Dr. Allison in thinking the race was not degenerating, and claimed if the people to-day would spend as much time out of doors as did their fathers, they would be even stronger. He gave some proofs that actually the race is improving physically. In the old times the weakest all died off, and only the tough old nuts remained. ”

“ It strikes Freeman and Trueman thus:
'This is the first gentleman's seat I've seen since we left England,' said Freeman.
'There must have been a fine coming of age here,' rejoined Trueman.
'As for that,' replied Freeman, 'comings of age depend in a manner upon meat and drink. They ain't in noways to be carried out with coffee and pipes. Without oxen roasted whole, and broached hogsheads, they ain't in a manner legal.'
The servants' Paradise is meat and drink in England or in Palestine, and Tancred's gentlemen were sorely tried with the coffee and pipes. ”

“ Miss Trueman gasped.
“So I didn’t want to see New York again; I just hated the place. And this time I only came because I found out you and the girls were here, and you were about all there was left. People die so. And I wanted to find out about the old place. I wanted to buy it, if I could, when I thought it was sold.”
“But, Cousin Lorando, I couldn’t sell it!”
“Oh, no, I s’pose not. Still, I might buy out the girls’ thirds and rent yours, couldn’t I? I’d pay you as much and more than anybody else would, I guess. And you could keep your interest. ”

“ Trueman. (offers his hand.) Adam Trueman
That's right man; give me your whole hand! When a man offers me the tips of his fingers, I know at once there's nothing in him worth seeking beyond his fingers ends. (Trueman and Howard, Gertrude and Tiffany converse.)
Mrs. Tiffany
(advancing C.) I'm in such a fidget lest that vulgar old fellow should disgrace us by some of his plebeian remarks! What it is to give a ball, when one is forced to invite vulgar people! ”

“ Children trusted him at once. He died at his home in Nappan, N.S., in 1867.
Margaret Trueman was one of the most charitable of women, always ready with a kind word or deed whenever opportunity offered. She finished life's journey in Mexico, in 1897.
Jane Trueman is still living.
Albert died in September, 1901, at his home, Prospect Farm. He was born in the brick house, and lived there his full life of seventy-five years and five months. He had many friends and no enemies.
Ruth lived her life of sixty-three years in the old home where she was born, and died in 1887. ”

“ Alvin Trueman was shocked at the boy’s indifference, his seeming callousness, for he was accustomed to seeing people act in quite different fashion on the occasion of the death of a dear one.... He began to fear that in so abnormal a child there might smoulder the distorted soul of one born contrary to the intention of God and Nature for the uses of crime. ”

“ Taking up the topics previously discussed by Citt and Bumpkin while he was concealed in a nearby closet, Trueman confronts them with their confessed treachery, denounces their chicanery and folly, and refutes their political views with Tory arguments. The fact that Trueman symbolizes extrahuman moral forces lends authority to his defense of absolute monarchy and the established Church. ”

“ Trueman's, Wm. Black received a great blessing, and although only a young man, he took from that time a prominent part in the meetings of the neighborhood. Three young men, Scurr, Wells, and Fawkender, agreed with Wm. Black to visit in turn, each Sabbath, the settlements of Prospect, Fort Lawrence, and Amherst. From 1780 until after the first Methodist Conference of the Maritime Provinces, in 1786, Wm. Black had charge of the Cumberland Circuit, which included from Wallace (then Ramshag) to Petitcodiac, taking in Bay Verte and Cape Tormentine. ”

“ Trueman was an honest, plain, simple-hearted tradesman of the good old cut, who feared God and followed his business; he went to church twice on Sundays, and minded his shop all the week, spent frugally, gave liberally, and saved moderately. He lost, however, some ground in Mr. Fantom's esteem, because he paid his taxes without disputing, and read his Bible without doubting.
Mr. Fantom now began to be tired of every thing in [Pg 249] trade except the profits of it; for the more the word benevolence was in his mouth, the more did selfishness gain dominion in his heart. ”

“ Keepum, his wicked eyes steadily fixed upon Maria. "One of Trueman's ships," Mr. Snivel adds. "Unlucky fellow, that Trueman—second ship he has lost."
"By-the-bye," rejoins Keepum, as if a thought has just flashed upon him, "your old friend, Tom Swiggs, was supercargo, clerk, or whatever you may call it, aboard that ship, eh?"
It is the knave who can most naturally affect surprise and regret when it suits his purposes, and Mr. Snivel is well learned in the art. "True!" he says, "as I'm a Christian. ”

“ I pray God I may never see another battle. It is a sight to make angels weep and devils rejoice, to see men thus mangling each other like beasts of prey."
"Amen!" said his father. "Even when it is just, war is the greatest of calamities; and when unjust, it is the greatest of crimes."
Sadder still was the story told by Neville Trueman to Katharine Drayton, as he conveyed to her the dying message of Captain Villiers. The Captain was gallantly cheering on his company, when a bullet pierced his lungs. ”

“ Not like many women who are eager to set off their persons to the best advantage, when they are only going to take a walk, and are careless, nay slovenly, when forced to stay at home. Mrs. Trueman’s conduct is just the reverse, she tries to avoid singularity, for she does not wish to disgust the generality ”

“ Why, what weak soul spake that, Alison? It is but begun. We will have more and more and more till no lordling is left to vaunt himself Jack Trueman's better. All must come down. We will have them low upon their knees. I have mastered a king to-day. I will be King's counsellor yet and rule him to a new governance, wherein all shall enjoy the earth. I——”
“Thou? Why art thou idle here?”
Gamelyn turned on the grim brow of Captain Craddock. “I have earned my leisure, sweet sir: hast thou?”
“Go to thy friends, and dabble in the Archbishop's blood.” ”

“ Trueman's fault but a result of the nature of the case. It is not impossible, by the way, that such documents may yet be discovered, perhaps in some still unsuspected archives. It is to be remembered, however, that to a local audience, documents are of less interest than tradition, and the genealogical phases of history, here so fully treated, are most interesting of all. Mr. Trueman seems to have sifted the traditions with care, and he certainly has devoted to his task an unsurpassed knowledge of his subject, much loving labor, and no small enthusiasm. ”