Evening star., 1951-08-12

to the effect that HE was friend
Of Georgetown College in its infancy,
and was frequent visitor to the in
stitution and often dined with the
priests of Catholic Trinity Church"
Dr.. BoIch's Wit
The following are samples of DR..
Balch's stories: "On one occasion this
worthy man related that a couple
from Cooney-a district on the south
side OF the Potomac, called Cooney
Neck-called at his house at mid
night. He had retired to his bed
room, and as he undressed prepara-
tory to lying down, he heard a rap
at the front door. He raised the
window and was informed that a
couple at the door desired to he
united In wedlock. He requested
them to make ready and he would
marry them from the window, The
service performed. he wished them
gooo luck and good night. and re-
queSted them to leave the fee under
the front door. Sure enough in the
morning he found tucked under the
ooor Two shillings and sixpence.
On another occasion. from the
same neighborhood a 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
acteo In an ignorant manner, which
showed that he did not comprehend
the command. when DR.. Balch called
out, Kiss your bride"
DR.. Balch's wit was not confined
10 any particular occasion, and once
when performing the last sad rites
OF wicked old man, OF whom no.
BODY remembered any virtue, after
general remarks upon the solemnity
OF death, he concluded as follows:
1 deem it my duty. in this sad hour.
10 say OF the departed that we were
schoolmateS. and finer mathema-
tlclan l did not know" Meeting a
Methodist minister who complained
to DR.. Balch that he was very i'll
IN bed on Saturday but well enough
On Sunday to preach against CAL
vinism. DR.. Balch replied: Then,
brother. Saturday was your best
day"
Burning of Dr.. BoIch's Home
A good story was told the writer
on DR.. Balch by the onetime pastor
OF the church. Rev. Frank Sergeant
Niles. himself somewhat of wit
and a good piece of company, and
most worthy successor to the foun-
der OF the church. The story relates
to the burning Of Dr. Balchs home,
then at 1916 N street, in 1881.
1t seem that one of the duties
with which Mrs. Balch was charged
was to see that the logs in the
fireplace were looked after before
she retired in order that they
might not roll out and set the
place on fire; and this she failed
to do. Naturally. the doctor was not
the happiest sort of a man at his
loss, and particularly at the loss of
his records. embracing the history
of the church and the city from
the beginning Of his ministry in
Georgetown, and when some one
asked him the extent of his loss,
he curtly replied: II lost everything
but the parrot" Meaning, of course.
his third wife, who was a Mrs. Jane
Parrott Of Easton. Md. at the time
she married DR.. Balch.
EorIy Pew Holders
The writer confesses that he
had heard the story before, but the
Rev. Mr.. Niles repeated 1t in sub
stance in way that proved him to
be good story teller.
1t is interesting to read Of these
old Georgetown landmarks and the
people who resided there many years
ago, and in no 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 follow
ing pewholders in 1805-180S: James
Calder, David English, Jonathan
Finley. Eleanor Curlan. William
Knowles, Benjamin Betterton, Cle-
phane and Make, Joseph Weaton,
Mrs. Templeman, Alexander Car
michael, William King. John Baltzer,
William Thompson. Jasper M. Jack
son, Christian Kurtz, John Banks.
Sarah Cruikshanks, Nathan Lough-
bors, Francis Clarke. Robert Ober,
Nicholas Hedges, Richard Elliott.
jeremiah Mosher, John Craven, DAN
iel Reintzel, Daniel Bussard, Joseph
Bromley. John Heugh, Francis
Dodge, Ezekiel King, John Mafit.
Andrew Ross, William Crawford,
John Laird, Sarah Suter, Edgar Pat
terson, James A. Morsel, C. P. Polk,
Joshua Dawson, George Thompson.
Mrs. George French. Thomas Beall
of George, David Peter, John Peter
of Tudor Heights. William Whann,
James Melvin, Jane White. Charles
Love. James Dunlop. ST., and David
Wiley"