The Buchanites and Crocketford. 303 



bability of the early installation of a public telephone call 

 office ; and the new school is approaching completion. 



At the same time the general appearance of the village 

 has recently shown a marked improvement. The gloomy old 

 Castle Hardships has been demolished ; several of the houses 

 have had their fronts rough-cast ; the Buchanite buildings 

 have been improved almost beyond recognition ; Newhouse 

 itself is now an up-to-date poultry farm ; and the handsome 

 new school takes the place of the old and unworthy Maiden 

 Row. 



Nearly all of these changes and improvements are due, 

 as was only to be expected, to the comparatively recent 

 infusion of new blood. But there is still considerable scope 

 for advancing enterprise. No hires are at present to be had 

 in Crocketford ; and the only way of getting to town, apart 

 from cycles or private traps, is by means of the bi-weekly 

 public conveyances from Kirkpatrick-Durham, Corsock, and 

 New-Galloway. The last of the horse 'buses was withdrawn 

 from the road this very month (5th April, 1913), and motor 

 char-a-bancs now hold the field. One wonders if a daily 

 service may yet be practicable, possibly in association with 

 a motor postal service. Even a village cannot stand still — 

 and live. This is the age of change, of speeding up. The 

 old order has indeed passed away. 



" The little hamlet where our sweet 



Swift boyhood sped knows not our faces ; 

 Strange footsteps i^ace its little street, 

 And other forms fill up our places." 



— Surfaceman. 



The End of the Greyfriars' Convent of Dumfries 

 and the Last of the Friars. 



By Mr G. W. Shirley. 



Three years ago when Mr James Barbour was preparing 

 his paper on the " Greyfriars' Convent of Dumfries and its 

 Environs, "1 1 had the privilege of giving him a number of 

 extracts from the Records of the Burgh Court of Dumfries 

 which proved of value in constructing the plan of the Friary 



