The Indianapolis journal., 1883-07-06
AN EDIroR's SUMMER RESIDENCE.
The Country Retreat Where George w.
Chids Spends the Heated Term.

The Country Retreat Where George w.
Childs Spends the Heated Term.
Philadelphia Record.
Upon the brow of a gently-rising hill,
around which roadways and walks curve and
gradually ascend for a third of a mile, stands
the country home OF the Ledger's publisher.
1t is a picturesquely-od affair." built of
pressed brick and modelled upon the Queen
Anne style, with irregular lines and bewil-
dering array OF gables, chimney-stacks and
verandaed windows. Wide granite steps,
with huge sago palms, fully century old,
gracing either side, lead up past broad and
beautiful terrace to the port cochere in the
front of the house and to the massive ma
hoganv door, which is swung back only in
the spring and autumn, when the fortunate
owner tires of his marble halls in the city
and of his cottage at the seaside. Here he
and without limit he has invoked
all the aid which the art of the
landscape gardener can lend to nature. Steep
hills and abrupt hollows were made to slope
away with even and graceful lines and ten
acres of heavily wooded land were trimmed
into an inviting retreat through which a
merry little creek babbles along, dancing
around the roots of gnarled oaks and spill
ing over pebbles and stones which, having
been brought here from italy as ballast will
likely puzzle Macaulay's New Zealander
whose geological lore two thousand years
lCiCC Ctth tApldln why SUCH TOCk
formations that belong to the sunny boot
should be found in the bed of this little rll
On one side is the wild, uncared-for wood,
while on the other side of the stream are a
sodded bank. pretty ferns, large beds of
rhododendrons possessing historic value, and
and cozy hooks with rustic benches and in
vltlng sprng-houses This little waterway
dashes over the falls settles for a while in
a little lake. rushes on again with a musical
ripple, and finally loses itself in the tall
grasses that border it on the adjoining farm.
just at the edge of the wood. where the
brook comes out into the sunshine, stands
the stable and carriage-house-a large
pressed-br ok stable, fitted up with regal ac-
eomodations for six horses and their grooms
Away 10 the left of the mansion past the
lawn tennis courts. which are shaded by
superb old oak, Mr.. Childs is now having
built a model farm, which will include
farNp-'s cottage, barn and dairy Here
will De raised a variety of fresh vegetables
ana fruits, and here, too, behind little
knoll, stands the model greenhouse. fitted
with all the most approved appliances known
to Horticulture, and used as winter home
for the less hardy plants.
Inside the house are many of the pretty
things that taste and art can supply. The
vestibule is paved in Roman mosaies
that are SO ingenously laid as
TO deceive and surprise. Directly
beyond is a large stair hall finished in
butternut One of the prettiest conceits here
is found on the newell posts OF the stairway,
where oak carvings of a pet dog and cat are
perched. Everywhere through the house are
elegant furnishings. The dining-room is fin
ished in Spanish mahogany, the wainscoting
reaching within eighteen inches of the cell
ing, where the re deeply set panels of the
sar,sS material. 4 wine-cooler that belon ed
TO Elpoleon decorates the sideboard; chairs
and tables that came from Lord Fairfax are
strewn around the room, even the china and
glassware said to possess historic associa-
tlon, while on tie lawn arc living and grow.