Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-09-01
DAILY SHORT STORY
The cHILpIsHNEss OF LOVE
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then been asleep OF in a trance for
eleven years. Corinne Butterfield, lit
tie Yankee girl, went to sleep one
night and did not awaken for ten years,
but when she did awake she found as
great a change in her surroundings as
did Rip Van Wrinkle after his long
slumber.
One night as Corinne was going to
bed she was very badly frightened.
She had lain her doll down on the bed,
where it would be beside her when she
slept. and had said her prayers when
a burglar entered the room. COrinne
lost consciousness and from that time
forward lived in trance. Her mother
would not permit anything in the room
to be changed, and when ten years
later Corinne awoke there about her
were the same walls, curtains, furni-
ture-indeed, everything just as il had
been when she had gone to sleep ten
years before, even to her doll beside
her. There was no one in the room
when she emerged from her trance,
and she was obliged to get her bear
ingS as best she could. She had no
remembrance of her fright, but it
seemed to her that she had passed n
very bad night, sleeping heavily. She
drew her doll up to her, but somehow
it did not seem TO have the same place
in her affections as the night before
She sat up in bed, and there in the
mirror OH the dresser, where she had
been used TO seeing herself reelected,
Tas the image of girl of twenty.
Corinne started. Who was that love
-. Lift
hair hanging over her shoulder? From
the image she turned to herself and
saw that her limbs and body had
grown, her breast had filed out-in-
deed. she was n woman. And by look
ing from herself to the reflection she
was soon convinced that she and it
were one and the same.
1t would be impossible to portray the
feelings of this girl. so suddenly awak-
eued to the fact that since what was to
her the night before she had become
woman. On a chair beside her bed was
complete set of clothing which her
mother had always kept there, chang
ing it as COrinnc grew older and lar
ger. Getting out of bed. she sat on
chair-fOr she did not at once dare stand
put on the clothes and as soon as she
had done so, holding on to the furniture
as she proceeded, left her room.
When Corinne had gone to sleep she
had Il little sweetheart. Bonnie IIoyt, 4
fine little fellow thirteen years old.
Bonnie had watched the sleeper. seeing
her grow from childhood to woman
hood. and the love of boy had passed
to that of man. He was used to com
love every morning before going to
business. When Corinne reached the
landing and was about to go down
stairs Z; Che front door opened, and
young man entered. Looking up. he
saw her. y thrill of joy lighted up his
face. He stretched out his arms to her
and exclaimed, Thank Cod
Corinne stood holding on to the banis-
ter, while the man, quickly mounting
the stairs, took her in his arms, drew
her TO his breast and covered her face
with kisses.
COrinne's sensations at this trea sment
were very different from anything she
had ever experienced before. There
was nothing unusual in being kissed by
q man-She had sat on 4 mans lap, with
her arms around his neck-but now
these caresseS brought the blood to her
cheek.
Tell me-" she exclaimed, "who are
you? Who am II What does it all
mean?"
You have slept for ten years." he
said. Come; L will tell you all about
it"
Young Hoyt was eager to spread the
good news that the sleeper had been
awakened, but there was no one just
then In the house except the servants,
so he led Corinne downstairs to the IL
brary, where he told her of her scare of
ten years before. how it had thrown
her into a trance, how she had been
cared for by those nearest to her and
how his childish affection of Il decade
before had grown while she slept to the
love Of Il man.
And now, dear heart" he said,
your love for me has stood still. l
shall have to win you as n man. This
l hope to do, and soon you will be my
wife"
And shall we have a little house of
our own, with dinner sets and furni-
ture and place for dolly
hesitatingly. with a glimmer of con-
sciousness that her doll would give
place to 4 doll of n different kind. She
blushed and hid her face on his breast
Hoyt started. He had often thought
of this awakening and had endeavOred
to prepare himself for a mind that
had not been developed with the body.
He had feared that Corinnc's de-
ficiency would dissolve the love he
bore her.
Some one has said that lovers are
nothing more than grown children.
Hoyt discovered that, instead of wish
ing to bring Corinne up TO his stand
ard, he, as a lover. sank to hers. She
was to him my sweet little girl" my
own pet" dear bunny" A dozen
times q day he asked her: Are you
growing to love me?" Are you sure
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