The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1894-12-08
WHISTLER AND THE MILLIONAIRE.
Just What Really Occurred Upon n Cele
brated Occasion.

LEN HlNO iFlG "lGGfOiNNihCs
Just What Really Occurred Upon a Cele.
brated Occasion.
Here is a true version of an oft
told story of Whistler, the distortion
bearing only a faint racial likeness
to the original:
A man from nowhere made a large
fortune in London and at once pro-
ceeded to indulge a genuine if some
what Grass love of art. He sent
agents the length and breadth Of
Europe to purchase the highest
priced pictures to be had-old mas.
tiers, if possible; if not, copies by
first class artists, if they could be
got to do the work. Modern artists
were patronized in the original. In
fact, he set up a private Luxembourg,
crossed with IA spurious Louvre.
The home he built him was mag
%nificent. No man in London with
leanings toward art had such a house.
Everybody, or nearly everybody,
who was invited went to see it, to
remain, to feast, even to gaze upon
the millionaire at his easel, brush in
hand, the robes Of Japan or of Greece
flowing about him.
But one crumpled rose leaf had the
millionaire. Whistler would not go
to his home. Millais, Tadema, Sar-
| geant and Il hundred lights only a
trifle or SO less distinguished had
graced his board, but Whistler could
not be got through the front door.
When he saw the millionaire coming,
he whisked around a corner. His
notes of invitation, of adulatiOn, he
did not c~ondesccnd to open. Ho
turned a deaf ear to the importuni.
ties of mutual friends.
The art millionaire was in despair,
His wine turned to gall. His palette
grinned at him, His sleep was in.
fected with nightmare, which wore
the disdainful smirk of Whistler
Even the famous white lock seemed
to assume an air of lofty unattain
ableness.
In short, he was miserable, fol
until Whistler, the eXigeant, the &C
centric, the impossible, set the cache
of his approval the art millionaire.
position in the world was open t.
dispute.
One day Whistler abruptly sen
him word that he would call upOl
him the next morning at 10 o'clock
What actuated the great mar vii
never be known. The simplest ex
PLANTATION is that it was one of hi
many freaks.
The art millionaire, fairly palpi
tating with joy, received Whistle
at the entrance to his palatial home
ELUSIVE with welcome. Whistle
bowed gravely. He uttered never
word. The millionaire offered hi
arm. Whistler took it impassivel..
and permitted himself to be con
Quoted over the house. He walke'
through rooms filled with the treas
ures of Japan, of India, of Turkey
rooms hung with priceless tapestries
inlaid with rare p%orcelains, room
representing apartments in ancien
Greece, Rome, Pompeii. He stare
with fixed eyes and said never
word-a dining room taken from
feudal castle, a hall arched like Cleo
patra's, bedrooms whose silke
) hangings could have gone throug
the eye of a needle. Never a word
The host, much perturbed, bu
, willing to make all allowance for tn
, eccentricities of genius, finally fun
, aside the portieres of a great studio
+ In it were such touches and stuff
, and curios as artists dream of. Th
, eascls We're solid rosewood. Tw
guinea an hour models awaited tn
leisure of the millionaire. Never
| word. Whistler permitted his ston
r stare to roam from one object to al
other, then swung his host abou'
led him through the portieres an
, made for the entrance. AS they d,
E scended the grand staircase the mi
, lionaire burst forth:
Great heavens, Mr.. Whistler
/ Amt you going to say anything?"
| Whistler turned abruptly and r.
garded him for a moment with a so
emn stare. Then he brought h
5 hand heavily down on the million
aires back and exclaimed hoarsely
q "It'samaZing! And-there's-n
-eXcuse- for -it - New YOr
Sun.
The Royal Snub.
The royal snub is of ,all snubs tt