The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-15
ROSA MAsso,s STORY.
How "a Cuban Girl Crossed WeyIer's
TrOchn and ESCAPED.

NEW YORK, Nov. Flew stories of the
Cuban war surpass in interest the nara
tive of Rosa Masso, a beautiful girl not
yet nineteen years old, and her narrow es-
cape from capture by Weylers minions.
Known in the western part of the island
as La Cubanita," she was the only daugh-
ter of Jose Masso, wealthy planter, who
lived near Pinar del Rio. in the province
of that name. Her mother died when she
was a child and she was carefully educated
in Europe, returning, two years ago, ac-
complished, dashing, fascinating. Almost
brought up in the saddle, her hand was
taught to grasp a revolver and to shoot
for records or to kill. The handle of a
machete was as familiar to her fingers as
that of a button hook or a curling iron.
She told the story of her experience TO
a reporter, for she is now in this city and
is with friends at No $50 East Twenty
first street MY brother Valentine was
mortally wounded in one of the many en-
SagementS near the borders of the province
of Pinar del Rio and Havana, when Gen.
Maceo had crossed and recrossed the west
ern trocha and battles were being fought
once every three days. she said. After
Valentines death and very early enc morn
ing, was reused from my sleep by a loud
knocking on my bedroom door and the ter
rified voice of Maria my Old nurse. She
cried in Spanish: The Spainiards are on the
place! They want your brother!. We are
lost. Great God! Your father!'
In my night robe rushed to my fathers
ROOM He was not there. The odor of
burning wood told me the house had been
fired. L ran down the stairway determined
to help my father fight for his life. 1t was
too late. / found him dead on the steps
with knife plunged to the hilt in his
breast. With both hands 1 drew out the
blade. I called after the retreating Spanish
coW"rds to come back and murder me too
They only sneered My brother Antonio,
thank God, escaped.
After the ruin of my home, I l. lped a
party of women nurse wounded patriots
" nile whispering comfort to a dying SOL
der who had been shot through tie lungs
and telling him had lost a brother and my
father for free Cuba, he asked me to take
a dispatch from inside his underShirt and
carry it to General Maceo, who was then
on the far side of the trocha. 1 hid the
message in the bandage which Cuban girls
sometimes bind around their temples and
hair. put up few provisions, left a note
for my brother, babe my nurse goodbye,
and jumped upon my favorite horse. On
account of the mountains on each side l
was Obliged to pass through the CITY of
PalacioS L babe goodbye to my horse out
side of the city gates and turned him loose.
Telling the portero l was asking aims he
passed me into the city
Through the city l passed and on the
other side | slept in the house of woman
who gave me bed of straw on the floor.
The next day ] bought another horse from
a ranchman for $25. The rain pelted me,
but 1 kept on for San Cristobal. 1 could
have taken a train there, but 1 preferred
to ride. Leaving the tired horse outside the
city with countryman who agreed to have
it ready for me on the other side next
morning, l rode through the gate with a
market woman on load of potatoes. Next
day l rode to the horses knees through
slum, mire, yniasElal swamps and water till
1 reached and crossed Weyler's famous
trocha-the first woman who did it. Wad-
ing to my horses stomach, l crossed be-
tween San Antonio and Artemisa, found
Maceo's camp ten miles further on. and
delivered the message safely to one of his
aids, who tore from his hat the flag that
adorned it and gave it to me as a souvenir
of my ride
Then, the girl says, she proceeded to Ha-
vana, where she was met by a college friend
of her brother Antonio, whom she had
known since childhood. After time she
found she was watched by the Spanish and
her friend smuggled her aboard the yacht
of an American friend and landed her at
Palm Beach, Fla