Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1886-07-30
REBRAsXA's SLEEPING BEAUTY.
A DossOniAn Tells OF EGIs Recent VIsit
20 Minnie Dtshenpr.

n 1OWAo1h9Nh AtNN % haho h&eCeht NhAAA
20 Minnie Dtsherer.
was sitting in the but iness Office of
Mayor Henry of the brisk little city Of
Columbus Nebraska, where the mercury
WAS fooliug with zero, even in the
mid-afternoon, when his partner turned
to me and said; Wouldn't you like TO see
girl who has been asleep seven weeksf"
"You are right would" replied with
an much of the &c Rustler'' tone ns could
initiate.
"But Its mighty frisky weather, and it'll
be a l4-mile ride out and back, which Is
no fun for q fenderfoot over these
prairles."
"What do you think am here for? Not
to be frightened by Nebraska weather"
A pair Of lively bays were ordered
up. and an hour later we were thaw-
ing ont over the kitchen fire of a "jolly
Dutchman," In large farm house situa-
ted far out on the plains, standing in
yitation to the blizzard to do his worst.
"Pm mighty proud of the weather, fol-
Il keeps the good-for-nothing crowd at
home, and only gentlemen like yourselves,
whom I'm glad to see, brave 1t. Why,
have had IL teams In the yard mt time,
and 65 of the impudent - In the house
at once. They don't know manners, and
because I'm a 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 IL takes oil
hands TO shovel .he mud out 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"
"Well, will you like to see Minnie
nowS"
"Certainly, If it'll be no trouble" and
with many assurances of his pleasure ut
seeing us we were ushered into ~ 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 70 days.
She was at work with her sisters doing
the weeks washing hate in October, last
and the work done she went to her room to
''tidy up bit. Not answering the din
ner call the younger sister went to her
room and found her "fainted away" The
family rallied II doctor was sent for, and
finally consultations had. but she slept
on, week in and week out.
How beautiful was the exclamation
as we entered. To what extent she would
materialize her beauty on awaking 1t Is
impossible for me say, but there was a
delicacy of expression, us rare az it was
interesting. There was no unnatural
look, unless it be unnaturally attractive.
There was no pallor, no rigidity, no suf-
fering, no lifelessness. The face was
slightly flushed, rs full and as fair as a
child at sleep. Her body was rs limp rs q
hly's stem. Lift one Of her fingers and it
would fall helplesSlyi the hand, the arm.
the head were all the same. took her
hand AMI lifted her arm out upon the
coyerlet and it was us nervclcsS rs u new
born babe. The pulse varied little from
the natural sleeping pulse In rapidity or
strength. They said she would 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, rs they were dropped through her
teeth, but nothing else. She hardly
looked asleep; there was wnkeful eE-
preston to her countenancc, and her eye
lids had tremulous winking movement
which added TO the effect. At times, as
her sisters WAS talking and laughing, the
lightest touch of smile pencilcd her
mouth, and they reported that she would
have crying spells for two hours at Il time.
though not often, when tears would flow
and q pitcous wall would accompany
them. Early in the evening the winking
would cease, and she would sleep, some
times snoring. | could but feel that she
heard us, and knew what was going ON
about her, though she gave no sign.
When she had lain thus nine days. she
appeared to be waking rose, spoke little,
took some water, but instantly resumed
her sleep. After some five weeks the
physicians applied u 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 or lift a
finger in token of her appreciation.
She had no pain until the electricity was
applied, but since then che has suffered
excruciating agony, and she thought at
times that, that she was losing her reason.
She always expected TO awake, but feared
1t would be without her right mind. She
awoke, however, with clear mind, good
appetite, and good general health.
1t has been a strange case from the first
and In some OF its phases unparalleled
The leading facts should be scattered fal
and wide, that IN similar cases In the
future, consciousness may be assumed,
and that electricity he used with Caution
| IRey A. WiushiD