New-York tribune., 1881-12-13
ST. THOMASS CHOIR TROUBLE

|
MISS ANNIE LAURIE DESIAREs1's UNwILLlNGNlSo ~
WASH THE CHOIR DIsHEs-HER CORRESPOND
rNcE WITH MIR. WARREN AND HER RETIREMENT
FROM THE BAND OF SWEET sISGERs'
The following paragraph appeared IN the person"i
column of The Herald or yeste terday'mornlhg
Auy lady or gentleman of the ST. Thomas Ch2r bo
iur an advantageous explanation OF the young iau % W
retired tnerorom on Saturday evening last may can az
her residence, No 1927 East BOneVsru' ttio,
OF S6th-st, TWO plocAS e@S' Vi
Corinthians, w. j. r
The verse in the Bible referred to was tno teAe oi
ore of the Rev. Dr. Morgan's recent sermons, ana Is
as follows: " But with me it very small 'lils
that shall be judged of you or of mans Judgment
Yea Judge not my ownseif."
The vouug woman to whom this paragraph re-
ferred was Miss Annie Laurie Demarest, oruleU'o
of progressing appearance graceful III her hh''iC
slender and below medium height, WIN S7iS So,"
sweet voice She is only nineteen years OLD anu SIG
left the choir at st. Thomas's Church las' "eeA
under circumstances which seemed to her very uh-
inst TO Get an opportunity justify herself TO hef
for,oer companions she inserted the personal para-
oranb nublishcd above in The Herald. Her story, az
told nv her mother and corroborated by herself Is
IA follows: Miss Annie Laurie is very ANXIOUS W
improve herself and for some time has Deen s'noS-
ina ,pder comnetent instructors, italian, painting
and music She has good contralto voice. Aoou'
n year ago her singing teacher told her that ho
thought it would be a good thing for her TO JOIN
church choir provided she was careful moi 10 s''n
her voice. AS the family attended st. lnoIaSS
Episcopal Church at Fiftytbird-st. ard Fllth ave.
and she was member of its Sunday school, sue ap
plied to George William Warren, the oryanist, ana
he put her in the choir.
The choir consists of quartette. of which Miss
Emily Winant. Mr. Jameson and Mr. Danforth are
memhors, and chorus Of thirty-slX voices. MIS-
Demare5t was one of the chorus. Services al ot
Thomags are held in the morning aud afternoon
Some OF the choir do not have time to go nome Ior
luncheon after the morning service, and accorulngv
a luncheon is served for them in the choir loi iiS
consists of sandwiches and tea' ana DC
casionally pickles, marmalade ana cam
The members of the choir, however h"u
70 wash the dishes after the banquet
vas disposed of. and the only facilities Ior tnIs
WAS sink mt which only one person conld staiiu Il.
n time am some towels. Miss Donarest opIecteu
10 washing dishes she was likely 10 lhJure her
hest dress and because 1t WIS 30 much lr"upIo" "
toLo oti her gloves. She accordingly left the choir
falling Mr. Warren that she had cold. Last iall,
however. Miss Annie Laurie received postal cara
from Mr. Warren asking her to attend rehearsaiS'
NJ If he thonght she had been absent only tempor-
arlv A, she liked his instructions, she began sing
ing again in October.
On Sunday, December 4, as the choir was WASH
ING the dishes Miss Annie Laurie remarked TO one
of her companions that that was the only unpleasant
mart of the choir work One of the young women
of tbc chorus SAID WELL / was brought mp to do
this kind of work"
"Sbe seems to take to it anyhow, as if she had
becn accustomed to it all her fe," chimed III anoth-
err This was an unkiud reference to Miss ANNIE
Laurie. -.
II hyf fln
do this work" referring 10 n negro employed at st.
Tbomass, who, it is said. has nothing odo appar-
entIv while the white sexton is busy all the time.
"Wcll. if YOU don't like it," interrupted Miss
Van VIE. who stood hind her and heard her con-
vcrsaton, you had better lcave.'
Miss ANNE Laurie did not know the names OF
either Miss Hudson or Miss Van VIE at the
time. d she made no reply; but she felt very
much hurt A few moments afterward Miss van
VIE told her to put her dishes on the shelf. Miss
Annie Laurie replied that if she wanted any IN
structiou she would go to headquarters; but she
mt the dishes ON the shelf, although Ihe others
laughed ut her when she placed cup III plate In
st,nd of on a saucer. She met Mr.. Warren at the
afternoon services and told him of her
trouble. He wanted to know who II
WAS that had made the remarks. and Miss Annie
7 ourie replicd that she didn't know the young wo-
mans name She met Miss Van Vie shortly alter
ward and told her pleasantly that she th"4gnt She
| Nh.s Van Wicl owed her apology Tor what she
| Ind aid Miss Van VIE. however. could not see IL
with her present light. and she coldiy snuODcd MISS
| Annie Laurie Mr. Warren in the meantime, hai
a.ked Miss Uudson If she the one who had
! spOkrn sharply to Miss Annie Ladrie. lie thonTht
| il might bc She, Miss Demarest SAYS, rs MISS hud-
son il a frank mpuisiye creature, Whenever hes
itates 10 say what she thinks. Miss Hudson spoke
10 the injured young person about 1t, and seeed TO
feel badly that Mr Warren should tmnk she
woud do such a thing" The next day, from
sens, of Justice Miss Demarest sent Mir. Warren the
following note
DE Az SrW: am unhappiy Obliged transmit these
few lines tnat YOU may not misudge the innocent for
name of The one who presumos TO imagine that my
mark was addressed 70 her individually: IL was Miss
Kate Van Vie. My prominent reason IoT WilHul',"uE
from your choir year ago WA because was made I'M
comfortable by an Older member, host rSsReet Rg, ug,
December >, 1851
p s.-My remars to young lady friend was q wonder
why coored man dont waSn tne dishesl aud TO my
surprise the party mentioned came upon me hAo an
a, ,aanohe.
MIR. Warren's reply to this follows:
ST. THOMAS CHURCH NEwYORK, Dee. 7.
DEAR MISS DEMAREoT; In anSWeTnE your mole re-
oeiycd to-day. mast say, that think you made too
brought NY notice TO sette VIII give your note TO
Niss Van Vie to read She Ia one OF my best and most
nIthfu members and would not willingly hurt the feel
nss OF anyone. You are probably OF very sensitive
! wnth would not trouble others | am exceedingly
fn The choir at onccEheforo other unpleasant
thing might happen to YOU and also the CHRISTMAS re-
| will necessarily De llpOuSeu loO youi
an ~ ~ best 10 give il up and try other choir.
Ithank you sincerely Tor your efforts toward ns, and
aav pood.byc ia all kindness and consideration Tor your
assr''''u '''''""' GEoRGE WILLIAM WARREN.
Mr. Warren had sometimes kept the choir rehcars-
ing until half past ten at night and Hiss Dcmarest
| had requested to be allowed TO 20 home Mt 10 y. n
as that was the regular time for closing reheArsas
And then her mother always sat up tor her and did
| moi allow her 20 be out ter TO- This what
Ar Warren referred 10 III his letter, to which Miss
Demarest replied as follows:
| DECEMBER Q, 1881.
! Mr. G.. W. WARREN.
DEAR SIR: have not resigned and stil consider my
| Dn..i Nil nIIIIlN with .nIr