Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1903-12-25
SLEPT SEVENTEEN YEARS.
interview With woman Awakened From
Long Trance.

a Long Trance.
/ In the village of Grambke, near Bre
men, which has become famous as tn
home of tha sleeping woman" Gesin'
Meyer. who has now awakened from
her seventeen years sleep, had con
versations this week with hersel
and her father. johann Meyer, who il
Mayor Of the village. and his son.
In their quaint dialect they told me
that Gesine, who is now forty thret
years of age, fell from a cart In bel
seventeenth year. Shortly after this
accident she complained of suffering
from a severe headache and then fell
into a deathlike sleep, which lasted
three months.
After recovering consciousness she
was perfectly we'll. attended to her us
ual household duties, and helped in the
harvesting as if nothing had happened.
For 6wo years all went we'll then she
again took to sleeping for considerable
periods, interspersed by long intervals
| of normal habits. At last she went to
sleep on December II, 1885, and from
that date until Sunday last has slept
without Interruptions period Of sew.
enteen years.
On Sunday a fire broke out in the
village and the alarm bells were rung,
Scarcely had their harsh sounds pene-
trated the room where Gesine lay than
she suddenly sat up in bed and called
her father and brother by name. The
surprise and pleasure experienced at
her awakening, which resembled more
resurrection from death, may be
imagined.
One of her first questions was about
her mother. who had died many years
ago. On the sad news being broken to
her she cried bitterly. Seeing her
brother, who seventeen years ago had
been doing his military service, stand
ing by her side In civilian clothes, she
asked him why be was not in uniform.
On bis answering that he was now q
married man and had long ago COM
pleted his military service she appear
ed to be surprised.
She was told that she had been asleep
for seventeen years. why, thought
I had been asleep only for one night"
she replied. Gesine has no recollection
of anything that has happened during
this long lapse of time.
1 was introduced into.the room where
Gesine lay on sofa. With her clean
eyes she looked with curiosity at the
numerous relatives and friends who
stood around her, congratulatlug her
on her awakening. She recognized
them all.
She was we'll nourished during her
sleep. Her sense of smell was especial
ly we'll developed, and she knew imme-
diately if stranger entered the room.
The sense of hearing and of speech
completely disappeared during her un-
consciousness. Severe thunder storms,
the noise occasioned in the house con-
sequent upon. her brothers marriage,
all passed unnoticed. She:was never
ill, and her digestion was unimpaired.
Since awakening Gesine is IN great
fear of again going to sleep. DR.. Payne.
the family physician, who had attend
ed Gesine for many years, foretold her
awakening, and 1t is believed that she
awoke of her own accord and not
through the sonnd of the bells ringing.
The reason for the long sleep Is due.
some affirm, to some disease of the ner-
vous system. The case has caused an
intense sensation, and thousands have
tried to see the sleeping woman,"but
only few have been admisted-Corre.
spondence from Bremen to London
Mirror.