Viewing page 471 of 978

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

HOTEL CONTINENTAL

3 Rue de Castiglione
Le June 18th, 1905.

Dear Colonel Hecker:

I have wished you here frequently of late so that you could have seen the Whistler Memorial during its last week and watched the people's enjoyment of the feast. Your "Music Room" has been splendidly received. It is hung in a good room, in a center, directly opposite "The Piano", and the little white girl in each and the woman in black in each have caused unusual comparisons. Then too, the green walls in each and certain great differences in line have proven interesting to students and critics. They are both masterpieces and I am still sorry that my efforts of three years ago to make "The Piano" a next door neighbour of "The Music Room" failed. Still, even this may happen some day.

Today, Sunday, was the last day of the Whistler show and I remained in attendance all day. It closed at six o'clock and when the attendant turned the key in the door he found the last worshippers to leave the shrine were old Drouet (the sculptor whose portrait Whistler etched in '59 and whose friendship still lives) Mrs. Lawson (Whistler's sister in law) Mr. Studd (owner of the "Little White Girl", "Cremorne Lights" and the "Fire Wheel") and myself. We were a happy and still a sad group! We had all hoped for a successful exhibition and our hopes had been fully realized -- Whistler's wishes too had been realized and the thousands of visitors too had been made happy, and the French people at large are delighted with the success attending the exhibition, and in many ways things seemed very bright but when handshaking began in our little group each one recognized a tremor in the hand he shook and tears ran down old Drouet's cheeks. He is an old man, the last one of the first Whistler circle in Paris. I walked from the galleries on the Quai along the river and through the beautiful Tuileries to my hotel but my eyes were dimmed. Poor old Drouet missed his friend of 45 years standing as he had a right to, but others much younger should have been brave!

The Benedicts of New York are here and have been most cordial. Mr. B. sends kind messages to you. Mr. and Mrs. Phil McMillan are also in Paris and I have had a glimpse of them. There is so much I feel I must do here I have little or no time for people excepting the very few with whom I am in daily touch. When the work in the galleries and private