Evening star., 1930-11-30

the Potomac was frozen to q density of 19
inches and wagons and horses were galloping
over the ice. Happy boys were skating on the
river just as if it had been canal in Holland.
They were regardless of the catastrophe, as If
nothing at all had happened. When its owner
came home he rejoiced that not one of his lit
tie children was buried in the ruins"
1t was around this period that Mrs Thorn
ton records in her diary reference to the SER
mon Dr. Balch preached on the first Washing
toms Birthday after the Generals death. Her
record says:
"About noon we returned home to dinner,
and returned Immediately after to George
Town, where Dr. T stopped at the bridge
and we proceeded to the church, where, after a
prayer and hymn. Mr.. Balch delivered funeral
sermon. The people of the city and George
Town joined, to show their respect to the late
Gen. WashinCton-the society is too small for
them to equal in pomp the other cities, but
they did their bestr-there were about 1000
people assembled at the church."
DR. BALCH had humor as well as religion in
his soul, and it is well that he did, for in
his early days in the ministry in Georgetown
it required cheerful disposition to overcome
the hardshipS of hunger and desperation which
he probably mere than once had to endure.
w. S. Jackson is responsible for several
stories on the old doctor; one to the effect that:
"He was friend of Georgetown College in its
infancy, and was frequent visitor to the in
stitution and often dned with the priests Of
Catholic Trinity Church."
A good story matrimony goes like this:
con one occasion this worthy man related that
. couple from Cooney-a district on the south
side of the Potomac mostly inhabited by the
laboring classes, and called Cooney Neck
called at his house at midnight He had re-
tired to his bedroom, and as he undressed pre-
paratory to lying down, he heard rap at the
front door. He raised the window and was
informed that couple at the door desired to
be united in wedlock. He requested them to
make ready and he would marry them from the
window. The service performed, he wished
them good luck and good night and requested
them to leave the fee under the front door.
Sure enough in the morning he found tucked
under the door two shillings and sixpence.
"On another occasion, from the same neigh
borhood couple called about noon. They were
invited into the parlor and were married. The
usual command, Salute your BRIDE was given,
when the young man acted in an ignorant
manner, which showed that he did not COM
prehend the command, when DR.. Balch called
out, Kiss your bride
DR.. Balch's wit was not confined to any par
6cular occasion, and once when performing
the last sad rites of a wicked old man, of whom
NOBODY remembered any virtue after general
remarks upon the solemnity of DEATH he con-
cluded as follows: I deem it my duty, in this
sad hour, to say Of the departed that we were
schoolmateS, and finer mathematician I did
not know Meeting Methodist minister who
bed on Saturday but well enough on Sunday to
preach against Calvinism, DR.. Balch replied
Then, brother, Saturday was your best day"
"A GOOD story was told the writer on DR..
Balch by the present pastor of the church,
Rev. Frank Sergeant Niles, himself somewhat
Of wit and good piece Of company and a
most worthy successor to the founder of the
AkaNx~o FTl. l~&z.
DR.. Balch's home, then at 1916 N street. in
1881.
1t seems that of the duties with which
Mrs. Balch was charged was to see what
the logs in the fireplace were looked after be-
fore she retired in order that they might not
roll out and set the place fire; and this
she failed to do. Naturally the doctor not
the happiest sort of a man at his loss, and
particularly to lose many of his records en-
bracing the history of the church and the city
from the beginning of his ministry in George
town, and when some one asked him the extent
OF his loss, he curtly replied 81 lost every
thing but the parrot!" Meaning, of course, his
third wife, who was Mrs. Jane Parrott of
Easton, Nd, at the time she married Dr. Balch
The writer confesses that he had heard the
story before, but the Rev. Mr.. Niles repeated it
in substance in way that proved him to be a
good story-te!ler.
1t is interesting to read of these old George
town landmarks and the people who resided
there many years ago, and in place do we
find more complete and accurate list than is
furnished by the church records. For instance
one record book that evidently escaped the fire
Of 1881 at Dr. Balch's home gives the following
pew holders in 1905-08: James Calder David
English, Jonathan Finley, Eleanor Curlan, VIII
liam Knowles Benjamin Betterton, CIephane &c
Make, Joseph Weaton, Mrs. Templeman, Alex
ander Carmichael, William King, John Baltzer,
William Thompson, Jasper M. Jackson, Chris
tian Kurtz, John Banks, Sarah Cruikshanks.
Nathan IOuQlbOrS Francis Clarke Echert