Railways. 83 



after the publication. The great horse-chestnut, near 

 Singleton has disappeared.* Mr. Callender died in 1872. 

 Mr. Stone, sen., is also "with the majority," and the Carrs 

 themselves no longer deserve the ancient appellation, 

 having been crossed by a railway embankment. A good 

 deal remains no doubt that is pretty and pleasing, but the 

 picture drawn above exists no longer. That a locality 

 once so beautiful should have been thus rudely dealt 

 with is unfortunate, few will deny. But nothing that 

 contributes to the prosperity of a great nation, or to the 

 public welfare, is at any time to be deplored. Such 

 changes simply illustrate anew the primaeval law that 

 great purposes shall always demand some kind of 

 sacrifice. 



* It may be well to say that this grand old tree stood by the lodge 

 gates of Polefield Hall, a few hundred yards through the village of 

 Holyrood, or Rooden Lane, on the right towards Besses-o'-th'-Barn. 

 Unlike the Didsbury sycamore, which was in the prime of its princely 

 life, the Singleton horse-chestnut had become decrepid, and during 

 the rigour of the winters beginning in 1878 received injuries from 

 which it could not possibly recover. 



