The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-08-15
SOME WHISTLER STORIES.
Little Things That Went to Show the
 Pecul4arities of the Man.


 prolonged to 8 visit, and how finally the summer passed. Madrid forgotten while he painted. chatted and quarreled with Whistler in the London studio. It was | during these days that MT. Chase found opportunity to observe the strange traits of character that puzzled so many people; and here he saw that Whistler's absolute and unrelenting devotion to his art had made him the artist he was as well as the eccentric. Whistler never scrupled to insist upon a lady's coming all the way across Lon- don to stand for two minutes for a de- tall that needed fixing in the painting of the dress, for nature was his invaria- ble master, and he insisted that she should be ever before him. On the other hand, though Whistler delighted in an admiring crowd that no social en- gagement was ever strong enough to vie with the demands of the muse. One I of this witty mans sayings came out while Chase was urging him to stop work and get off to dinner party | where he was pledged. It did not move the man to be told that the dinner was | growing cold and the guests were wait | ing for the Hon. He uttered inarticu- late grunts and painted on while Chase l scolded. Finally Whistler turned around and said: "Chase, what a nui- sance you are. The idea of leaving a | beautiful thing like this to go and eat with people!''
 Once in criticism he took the brush from pupils hand, and with one careful stroke painted in an upper lip; so true was the modelling, so skilful the brush work that all the hardness and rounding of the teeth beneath, the in- dentation of the center of the lip and the subtle connection at the nostril were faithfully reproduced; with touch of his thumb he joined lip and cheek. The students stood around breathless with admiration. No man other than Velas- quez and Whistler could have equalled | the performance. and they knew it-and l Whistler knew 1t, as he smilingly passed on, appearing unfeignedly proud of his achievement.
 His Paris pupils planned to call on him on New Years morning. A friend ly student, not at all sure that Whistler would like it, gave him little tip as to the surprise party. ...- ... . ~..-
 e'"rell them that never receive call ers,'' he exclaimed, excitedly. The pu- pil explained that Mir. Whistler kasr't }supposed to know anything about it. ] Are you sure they meant well?" he inquired anxiously, and on being reas- sured: ''Well, tell them never receive visitors in the morning"
 The pupils called in the afternoon and found awaiting them most genial and delightful host. He told stories and showed them his palettes to prove that he practiced what he preached, and pictures and sketches were exhibited 4 to them never seen by the public among the surprising ones being some allegorical studies, He served them with champagne and fruits and cakes, 1 and was most solicitous as to their en- joyment.g One of the pupils asked him how he arranged his subjects so as to produce the low tone noted in his pie l lures. He posed visitor, pulled over he shades so as to shut out all light, save from one window, and there before them was living Whistler arrange ment" ready to recede. behind frame as he says all portraits should do.
 Whistler's methods of teaching were original. He laid little stress on draw ling. He hated and despised academic treatment. He wanted the pupil tt paint. A fed careful charcoal strokes on the canvas as a guide, the rest to be drawn in with brush and color. And he preached simplicity-as few tones as possible. as low as possible. But 1t is painful to record that the endeavors oi a certain proportion of the class to at- tempt the achievement of the master ir this respect resulted in a unique crop oi posters. The constant theme of his dis course was mixtures" He advised g pupil to get first on his palate correct and sufficient mixture of each tone re. quired for his picture. Often he would give a long criticism without so much as glancing at the canvas--a criticism on the mixtures he found on the pupils palette; and he himself would work in definitely at the colors, using up great "gobs" of paint, and all the while talk. ing, till 1t appeared to him to be satis factory; "and then" says the cnthusi astic young artist. "when he did take up some of the color and transfer 1t tc the canvas. why it would just sing"
 In regard to the use of fiat tones ant the preparation of correct mixtures 1T large quantities he often remarked:
 House painters have the right ides about painting, God bless them"
 No budget of stories about Whistler can afford to omit those that illustrate his excessive vanity. The trait is ex' hibitcd in all shades, from hat wflicf shows his contempt for ignorant preten sion to that which seems no deeper thar an extravagant delight in Haunting tn, cap and bells. How he replied tha Mature was creeping up to his pic lures. and the famous retort, "Why drag in Velasquez??" are well known but allied with them is the less known or perhaps unknown, reply he made tt a lady who met him at the Royal acad emy and expressed her surprise at see ing him in place he was reported nev CT to enter.
 "Well." retorted Whistler, "one mus do something to add interest to tn, sho; so here am."
 On the Holland trip some canvase |, that had been expressed to poin where sketching had been planned } failed to arrive at the expected time 1; The fame of the artist was we'll estab ; lished here. and the honor of his visi appreciated. The official of the expres