The Irish standard., 1886-08-28
rEBRAsKA,s SLEEPING BEAUTY.
4 Boston1an Tells of EA1s Recent Visit
TO Minnie I3lxhener.


I was sitting in the business Office of
Mayor Henry Of the brisk little city Of
Columbus Nebraska, where the mercury
was fooling with zero, even in the
id-afternoon, when his partner turned
to me and said: ssWouldn't you like to see
girl who has been asleep seven weeks?"
"You are right would" replied with
as much Of the =. hustler tone as could
initiate
eBnt it's mighty frisky weather, and it'll
be 14-nile ride out and back, which is
no fun for 'tenderfoot' over these
praires."
aWhat do you think am here fors Not
to be frightened by Nebraska weather.
A pair of lively ssbays'. were ordered
up and an hour later we We're thaw.
ing out over the kitchen Ere of q s'jolly
Dutchman," in large farm house situa-
ted far out on the plains standing in
vitation to the blizzard to do his worst.
.;I'm mighty proud Of the weather, for
it keeps the good-for-nothing crowd at
home, and only gentlemen like yourselves,
whom Pm glad to see, brave it. Why, l
have had Is teams in the yard at a time
and IS of the impudent -- In the house
at once. They don't know manners and
because Pm Dutchman they run right
over me. They'll order me OR the boys to
take the horses and rush right in without
an invitation, and sometimes it takes all
hands to shovel the mud ont they track
in And they didn't care to see the girl
when they got here 1t was just to say
they'd seen her. Are you warm YETI"
eyes, sir, thank you"
swell, will you like to see Minnie
now?"
s'Certainly, il it'll be no trouble" and
with many assurances of his pleasure at
seeing us we were ushered into a neat
chamber where his second daughter, a
beautiful lady Of 81, lay in hystero catalep-
tic trance, as she had lain already for
seven weeks, and from which she awoke
recently at the end of 10 days
She was at work with her sisters doing
the weeks washing late in October, last
and the work done she went to her room to
"tidy up "a bit, Not answering the din
ncr call the younger sister went to her
room and found her sfainted away The
family rallied, u doctor was sent FOX, and
finally consultations had, but she slept
on, week in and week out.
CHOW beautiful!" was the exclamation
as we entered. TO what extent she would
nlaterialize her beauty on awaking it is
impossible for me say, but there WAS a
delicacy Of expression, as rare as it was
interesting. There wt.s 10 unnatural
look, unless it be nnna1urally attractive.
There was no pallor, no rigidity, no sut-
fering. no lifelessnass. The face was
slightly flushed SIS full aud as fair as ~
Child at sleep. Her body was as limp as a
lily's stem. Lift one OF her fingers and it
would fall helples.ly; the hand, the arm,
the head were ali the same. I took her
band ana lifted her arm out upon the
coverlet and it was rs neryeless us & new.
born babe. The pulse varied little from
the natural sleeping pulse in rapidity or
strength They said she woulll sometimes
lift her arm back under the spread, and
had sometimes half turned herself. She
could not open her mouth, but would
swallow milk and wine, and sometimes
tea as they were dropped through her
teeth, but nothing else. She hardly
looked asleep; there was wakefui ex--
preston to her countenance, and her eye
lids had a tremulous winking movement
which added to the effect AT times It's
her sisters was talking and laughing,f the
lightest touch of a smile penciled her
mouth, and they reported that she would
have crying spells for two hours at s. time,
though not often, when tears would flow
end d piteous wall would accompany
them. Early in the evening the wi,lking
would cease, and she would sleep, some
times snoring. I could bu5 feel that she
heard lis, ;s,d knew what was going on
about her. though she gave no sign,
When she had lain thus nine days, she
appeared 10 he waking rose, spoke a little,
took some water, but instantly resumed
her sleep. After some five weeks, the
physicians applied battery for four hours,
until the father declared they should Tor
ture her no longer.
She is now awake, but her limbs are Use
less. She says she was conscious during
all the wakeful hours OF her Today trance,
that she knew what was said and done,
but was powerless to speak, smile OF lift a
finger III token Of her appreciation.
She had no pain until the electricity was
applied, but since then she has suffered
excruciating agony, and she thought at
times that, that she was losing her reason.
She always expected TO awake, but feared
it would be without her right mind. She
awoke, however, with Il clear mind, good
appetite, and good general health.
It has been strange case FROM the first
and in some OF it's phases unparalleled.
The leading facts should be scattered far
and wide, that IN similar cases i'll the
future, consciousness may be assumed,
and that electricity be used yyithcaution.
IRay. 4. f. WinshiD