The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1903-07-23
VAGARIES OF WHISTLER
Stories Of the American Artists
Eccentricities.
ALWAYS WANTED TO BE UNIQUE

Once Wished to Have Hanson
Made of Gorgeous Design-How he
Prepared For a Party breakfast at
a Famous Artists House-one Of
His Fishing Expertences-NOveI Re-
ply 20 a millionaire.
Many contradictory traits blended IN
that strange personality, the late James
A. AlacNein Whistler, the eminent
American artist are preserved in the
anecdotes which viii be known to pos
terlty as the whistler stories. says the
New York Herald.
Whistler was inordinately vain, yet
the things which he did were in
measure due to his peculiar philosophy
Of life. Those who knew him best and
liked him maintain that beneath all
that he did the painter who gloried in
''the gentle art of making enemies had
sound basis Of reason. His leading
appetency was desire to be unique.
I'm going over to London" said he
once to william NJ. Chase, "and there
shall have a hanson made. It shall
have white body, yellow wheels, and
III have it lined with canary eolored
satin. I'll petition the city to let me
carry one lamp on 1t, and on the lamp
there viii be white plume I shall
then be the only one.
One of the affeetations Of Whistler
was his apparent failure TO recognize
persons with whom lie had been on the
most friendly terms. An American art
list once met the impressionist in Ven
ice, where they spent several months
together painting, and be was invited
to call on Whistler il he should so to
Paris. The painter remembered the In
vitation The door Of the Paris studio
was opened by Whistler himself a
cold stare was the only reply to the
visitors effusive greeting.
"Why, Mr.. Whistler" cried the paint
er, you surely haven't forgotten those
days in Venice when you borrowed my
colors and we painted togetherw
II never saw you before in all my
life" replied Whistler and slammed
the door
Whistler's habit Of forgetting persons
or pretending to do SO, for nobody ever
knew when the lapses Of recognition
were due to intention Or absent mind
edness, often tempted other artists e
play pranks upon him. He was a man
who resented a joke at his own ex.
pense, except on a few occasions and
this trait was often turned to good ac
count.
He was at Naples shortly after the
account of the experience Of the Amer
lean visitor had gained wide circula
ton. A conspiracy was entered into
whereby the Whistler worshipers there
were to be unaware Of his presence. IIe
tried to play billiards with a company
Of young artists They met his adj
vances with a stony glare.
! "Oh / say" persisted he, II think
know something Of that game I'D like
to play
/ A consultation was neld, ana the art
lists shook their heads, inquiring Of on'
another, who IS he?" Whistler re
| tired crestfailen, and a roar Of laughter
which rang through the room added Il
his discontinue.
ooh, wei" he said, pulling nervous
| " at his mustache, aud HIS tone was
petulant, i don't care
/ Whatever whim seized James a. Nc
| Neill Whistler he lost little time d
following It. His studio in Paris looked
| out upon a garden on one side, and un
der one Of his windows was d small
tank containing goldfish Whistler
rugged tackle from string ana a ben
pin, and iii the course Of an hour III
had landed every fish He cooked til,
spofs and, finding them not at all Z
his taste, wrapped them up in papel
and. after pinning TO the packet a not'
to the owner of the garden that tn
fish were not fit to eat, threw the pack
age on a path.