The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1903-07-24
vACARIES OF WHISTLER
Stories of the American Artist
Eccentricities.
ALWAYS WANTED TO BE UNIQUE.

Once wished to Have Hanson
Made OF Gorgeous Desfgn--How He
Prepared For a Party Breakfast at
q Famous Artists HOuse-One of
Hts Fishing Experiences--HoveI Re
ply 20 a millionaire.
Many contradictory traits blended in
that strange personality, the late James
A. MacNeiI Whistler, the eminent
American artist, are preserved in the
anecdotes which will be known to pos
terity as the Whistler stories, says the
New York Herald
Whistler was Unfortunately vain, yet
the things which he did were in a
measure due to bis 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
a sound basis of reason. His leading
appetency was a desire to be unique.
I'm going over to London" said he
once to William M. Chase, land there
shall have hanson made. 1t shall
have white body, yellow wheels, and
I'll have 1t lined with canary colored
satin. I'll petition the city to let me
carry one lamp on 1t, and on the lamp
there Will be white plume. / shall
then be the only one"
I'M, Of tho of Hons of TJhicf1or
was his apparent failure to recognize
persons with whom he 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 he was invited
to call on Whistler If he should go to
Paris The painter remembered the In
vttation. The door OF the Paris studio
was opened by Whistler himself. A
cold stare was the only reply to the
visitors ELUSIVE 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 togetheri''
81 never saw you before In all my
ltfe,' replied Whistler and slammed
the door.
WhistleFs habit of forgetting persons
OF pretending to do so, for nobody ever
knew when the lapses of recognition
were dine to intention or absent mind
edness, often tempted other artists to
play pranks upon him. He was a man
who resented joke at his own ex-
pense. except on few occasions, and
this trait was often Turned to good &C
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 He
tried to play billiards with q company
of young artists They met his ad-
vances with stony glare.
'Oh, say" persisted he, Il think l
know something of that game. I'd like
to play"
A consultation was held, and the art
lists shook their heads, inquiring of one
another. "Who Is hef" Whistler re-
tired crestfalien, and roar Of laughter
which rang through the room added to
his discontinue.
'NOh, we'll" he said, pulling nervous
~ at his mustache, and his tone was
petulant. IL don't care"
Whatever within seized james A. Nc
Neill Whistler he lost little time IN
following it His stndio IN Paris looked
out upon garden on one side and I'M
der one Of his windows was small
tank containing goldfish. Whistler
r1gged tackle from string and bent
pin. and in the course of an hour he
had landed every fish. He cooked the
spoils and, finding them not at all to
his taste, wrapped them up in paper
and, after pinning to the packet note
to the owner of the garden that the
fish were not fit to eat, threw the pack
age on path.