Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1894-03-16
LEADS A QUIET LIFE.
THE WIDOW OF GEORGE W. cHlLDs
NOT A SOCIETY WOMAN.


In all that has been written of the late
George w. Childs, of his charities, his
philantbropies and of the depth and
breadth of his great love of all mankind,
there has been hut the merest mention of
Mrs. Childs and the place she occupied in
the life If her distinguished husband.
Philadelphians, as a rule, know very
little about her. They can tell you that
she was Emma Bowler Peterson before
her marriage and the daughter of the
publisher in whose establishment her hus-
band made his early start in life. Beyond
this, only select few possess any infor-
nation of the domestic life in the Childs
mansion and the personality of it's mis-
tress.
Emma Bowler Childs is a slender little
woman, small featured, dark complexion
ed and of an exceedingly nervous temper
ament. This finds expression in the anx.
ious solicitude with which she regards the
most trifiing details of the management
of her household affairs. Although pro-
vided with a competent staff of servants,
Mrs Childs insists upon general person
al supervision of everything. One of her
marked peculiarities is a most intense
aversion for dust, 8nd much of her time
is spent while at home in minute inspec-
ton of furniture and hangings to discover
if possible the slightest speck left by the
maid after the regular morning busting.
Mrs. Childs has never been what might
be called society woman. She enjoyed
the friendship of the most distinguished
families of Philadelphia, the Cadwalla-
ders, the Prices, the Binneys, the Biddles,
the ROsengartens and others of equal social
distinction, but fashionable functions at
her town or country house were practical
ly unknown. 1t was her custom to lunch
two or three times u week with these init
mate friends. In these visits she was al
most always accompanied by her niece,
Miss Peterson, who lived with Mr.. and
Mrs. Childs from childhood up to the time
of her marriage to Robert H. McCarter.
Mrs. Childs' closest friends were the
daughters of the late General Robert Pat
terson, the old Mexican war hero She
probably visited there more than any
where else in Philadelphia. General Pat
terson lived in a spacious old mansion at
Thirteenth and Locust streets. 1t was laid
out on the plan of an English country
house, with u courtyard, servants halls
anu llDlneHS6 kllCu6u uTeuldCeS. III 0du
open CRATES, and candles were given to
the guests to go to bed with. Of the Pat
terson girls Mrs. Chids was very fond,
one of them especially, who afterward be-
came Mrs. John Sims Her conversation
at these informal luncheons both at home
and abroad was confined largely to a dis
cussion of Mr.. Childs' latest benefactions.
These were so numerous, so varied and
often brought out such peculiarly pathetic
stories of suffering that they formed a fruit
full theme day after day and week after
week.
Mrs. Childs rarely appeared in public
with her husband. The theater had no
attractions for her. Once or twice year
perhaps she would consent Is see Edwin
Booth or some equally distinguished ac-
tor, but for the ordinary dramatic attrac-
ton she had no inclination. Occasionally
during the opera season she would occupy
box with Mr.. Childs, and on those occa-
sions the somberness of her apparel was
+ in such marked contrast with the brilliant
costumes about her as to excite the very
attention she sought to avoid. The daugh-
ter of the late Dean Stanley has lived with
the Childses for 20 years. Before Miss Pc
terson's marriage, which took place about
five years ago, the three were continually
together. Miss Stanley is now the con-
slant companion of Mrs. Childs.
The widow of the dead philanthropist
came to possess, probably by constant as
ISOLATION, many of her husband 8 traits and
characteristics. Her servants have been
with her for a generation. Such thing
as dismissal is absolutely unknown. From
the scullery maid to the butler every serv-
ant was sure of a liberal present at Christ
z ho ilr nh 10
were always ready in case of illness. Mrs.
! Childs carried out the same generous pol
icy in her home az her husband did in the
office of The Public Ledger If servant
became incapacitated by illness or injury,
he or she was pensioned off for life and
not infrequently provided with little
home. If marriage instead of illness-and
! it wasn't very often-Mrs. Childs took
pleasure in giving the girl n substantial
wedding present to start in life with, and
on such occasions Mr.. Childs generally
stepped in himself and added something
handsome The same rule of kindness and
consideration extended from the house
hold to the stable 1t was an invariable
rule of Mrs. Childs that her carriage horses
should never be out of their stalls after
dark. If conveyance was needed in the
evening, it was hired from the nearest
| liveryman.
Neither Mr. nor Mrs. Childs accepted
any invitations to dinners 1t was found
necessary to make this rule about years
ago, and it was at Mrs. Childs' sugges-
ton. She found the invitations increas-
ing so rapidly shat to accept even third
of them would take her away from home
every night in the week and every week
in the year. This did not suit her ideas
at all, and the result was that all calls tC
dinner parties were thereafter declined
without any exception. Her evenings have
always been spent at home. In the sum
mer the Philadelphia mansion at Twenty
second and Walnut streets has been CLOSED
and the country house at Wootton opened
Mrs. Childs spent most of her time in that
charming place, Mr.. Childs running dowr
occasionally to his Long Branch cottage
from Philadelphia for day or two anC
Then back to Wootton.
Mrs Childs is IA member of St. Jane,
Protestant Episcopal church, of which he
deceased husband was vestryman. Any
thing like ostentatious display has always
been dstasteful to her, and it has beer
her custom for many years to reach churcl
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