Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1905-01-04
The ChildiShneSS of Love
tOriginal.1

then been asleep or 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 it 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
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 on the dresser, where she had
been used to seeing herself reflected,
was the image of girl Of twenty.
Corinne started. Who was that love-
~ creature with long coil Of plated
hair hanging over her shoulder? From
the image she turned to herself and
saw that her limbs and body had
grown, her breast had filled out-in-
deed, she was a 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-
ened to the fact that since what was to
her the night before she had become a
woman. On chair beside her bed was
Il
mother had always kept there, chang
ing it as Corinne grew older and lar
ger. Getting out of bed, she sat on a
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 little sweetheart, Bonnie Hoyt, a
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 q man. He was used to COM
ing to the house where lay his sleeping
love every morning before going to
business. When Corinne reached the
landing and was about to go down
stairs the front door opened, and a
young man entered. Looking up, he
saw her. A thrill of Joy lighted up his
face. He stretched out his arms to her
and exclaimed, THANK Godw
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.
Corinnes sensations at this trea tment
were very different from anything she
had ever experienced before. There
was nothing unusual in being kissed by
a man-she had sat on 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 /? What does it all
mean?"
"You have slept for ten years." he
said. "Come; will tell you all about
1t"
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 beer
cared for by those nearest to her anC
how his childish affection Of a decade
before had grown while she slept to the
love of q man.
"And now, dear heart" he said
your love for me has stood stiH.
shall have to win you as a man. This
hope to do, and soon you will be my
wife"
"And shall we have little house OF
our own, with dinner sets and furni
ture and a place for dolly
The last few words were spoken
hesitatingly, with glimmer OF con
seriousness that her doll would give
place to a doll of 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 mind thai
had not been developed with the body
He had feared that Corinne's de
ficiency would dissolve the love hs
bore her.
Some one has said that lovers art
nothing more than grown children
Hovt discovered that instead Of wish