Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1910-08-30
WHISTLER TALES.
Some, Amusing Pef!uIiaritieE Of
 the Eccentric, Artist.
BARRING OUT BILL BEARERS.

He knc,~ the krorte of Each CoIssotor and the Amount It Represented.
 London cabbies Had Gsod Reasau' to I Fiaht Shy of tkns Erratac- Genius. There. was a stpady stream of credi- tors at sf1e King street studio in those days, says writer in the Censury | Whistler made ne, effort to conceaal the fact that, he was deeply in debt. One .ay as we were. busily and silently working there came a. loud business | like rao, at the dcOrS Whistler listanAd attentizely.
 "PssaI" said he. "1~sats one. and ten''
 Within half aa, hour there wa0- an- other rap. not quite sos loud.
 Two, and six" said Whistler. "Psstr''
 What on eantil, do, you meaa2" l asked after a time:
 Ore pound ten shillings;. two pounds six shiliings. Vulgar trades men with thes, bills, colonel. They want payment Ah, well!" he sighed with an exaggerated air of sadness and returned to, his. cenvas.
 Then came anotheE knock. a. most gensAe, insinuating. rap.
 Dear me-" said Waistler, that must be all of twenty! Poor fellow, really must do something for him! So sorry I'm not in"
 could mot take the situation se' psacidly and seized eagerly the frsa opportunity of financial aid that prs sented itself. A rich Anerican, so- journing n London. asked me what he could purchase and take. back with him in the way of art.
 By all means get a set of Whistasr's 8 etchings. Unquestionab,y he will make for you selection I'll speak to him." told him, and hurried back with the good news.
 Whistler was delighted, and for a day worked busily, oyerhauliny aud sorting his proofs. The selection was splendid one and called for sub- stantial payment It. was arranged that Whistler should meet the pur- chaser at bank in Queen street the following morning and receive his check.
 Most men under the circumstances would have thought of little else, but by the next morning Whistler had wholly forgotten his engagement. He had begun a new canvas, and was completely absorbed in it. For a while 1 expostulated in vain.
 Come. Whistler" said finally, .'you have been away from America so long that you don't appreciate the value of time to the traveller, particularly the American traveller. You must not keep che man waiting"
 ''Very we'll" said he, laying down his brush, with sigh. Now we'll go."
 Why wei" I replied. q don't want to go," protested firmly. To tell the truth, 1 was looking forward with a great deal of comfort to a morning all to myself.
 'Oh, but you must" he said calmly, bringing my coat and hat, and present ly we stood in front of the house sig naling cab.
 One came up readily enough, but, after one scrutinizing look upon the cabby's part, drove swiftly by; an. other went through the same strange proceedings. looked quest!oningly at Whistler-this odd circumstance had happened before we were together but Whistler was calmly signaling. At length cabby took us in.
 Whistler always carried as a walk ing stick a long, slender wand, a sort of mahlstick, nearly three-quarters of his own height. We were no sooner seated than he began poking his stick at the horse. The animal reared. plunged wildly and started down the street at breakneck gallop, while the astonished cabby swore freely and tugged desperately at the reins. Whistler looked calmly ahead and kept poking.
 Butcher boys and grocer boys made wild leaps for safety; outraged cabbies whipped their horses out of the way just in time: burly draynen bawled curses after us, and still we went merrily on. Little wonder, thought l, in the midst of my amazement and resentment, that Whistler never gets the same cab twice.
 Suddenly he began waving his cane and shouting "Whoaw He took the astonished cabby severely to task for driving so fast upon the public high way and ordered him back to a corner we had just passed.
 Here a greengrocer's shop, with its orderly and colorful array of fruits and vegetables. had caught Whistler's eye as we whirled by. He surveyed 1t critically now from two different po- sitions. the cabby merely obeying his orders. under the belief, I presume, that it was policy to humor a lunatic. Isn't 1t beautiful" exclaimed Whis- tier. He pointed his long cane at one corner. Il Relieve I'll have that crate of oranges moved over there-against that background of green. Yes, that's better" he added contentedly. I