Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-06-04
WHO ISPRETTY ROSA?
COMES HERE FOR WORK WITH
OUT FRIENDS OR MONEY.
MYSTERY As TO HER IDENTITY.
The Name of Stafford Not the One
She Gave on the Train Coming
Home is-I.ife Full of Trouble.

Who is pretty, dark-eyed Rosa Stafford
who came to him at midnight Wednes
day, is question which Mr.. George 3
Davis. Superintendent of the City Aims
house. has tried very hard to answer, but
so far has failed utterly.
Rosa will be Is this leafy month Of June
| She is slender and graceful as a flower
and apparently as sensitive and tender
! She has great, speaking, black eyes, that
look at you confidently and winningly,
Her history is one of romance and mys-
| terry.
She came to Richmond, she says, We'd
| nesday evening from Newport News, over
the Chesapeake and Ohio road, reaching
here at 7:l5 o'clock. From that hour she
wandered aimlessly about the city, look
ing for some place to lay her head for the
night. No friend was found. The great
bell in the Second Police Station tower
had rung out twelve clear, deep strokes,
when her weary feet climbed the broad
steps TO Captain Angles office. The pretty
red lips, curved and trembled and the
shapely head covered with great mass
Of brown hair, bowed low. as she told the
police captain that she was stranger in
a strange city, with no money and no
place to sleep. 1T is not often that Cap
tain Angle is at his wits end, but he was
now.
TAKEN TO THE ALMSHOUSE.
The patrol wagon was ordered to the
door; she was put inside, with an officer
as her guardian. and driven to the aims
house. superintendent Davis had retired,
but was awakened. He heard the officers
story, and babe the kindly matron to show
her to a pleasant room. She slept in Sc
curity and peace through the remainder
of the night, and has been at the aims
house ever since.
But here is the mystery. With all her
gentleness, and soft, low words, she firm
ly declines TO tell who she is. or who her
father and mother are, and where they
live. She gave her name as Rosa Stafford,
but with a smile said, not five minutes
later. that she did not mind giving an
other name than her own, IL 1t suited her
purpose better to do SO.
TALK WITH THE GIRL.
a reporter for the Dispatch went out
to the almshouse yesterday afternoon, |
and through the courtesy Of Mr.. Davis, !
had a long talk with his fair enigma. |
The Dispatch scribe met her In Mr.. |
Davis's private office She told him sim
ply and with every appearance OF candor. |
the story of her movements as given |
above. She had been in Cincinnati about |
six weeks, three weeks of that time In
the Good Samaritan Hospital. where a
severe operation had been performed on
her. When she got well. she said, friends
whom she had made during her Illness |
advised her 10 come TO Virginia. for she
could get work here more readily. She
did so, going TO Newport News first
Where is your home, the home of your
father and mother?' the reporter asked.
Il don't like to tell" she replied, I'm a
ow voice, and toyed with large hat
pin she held in her hands.
Are your mother and father both
ivingT' was then asked.
Yes" she returned.
why did you leave them? Were they
lot good to you?" queried the scribe.
NO: my mother loved me very dearly,
,ut my father was cruel and harsh, and
seat me, and l could not stand 1t any
Onger."
What made your father so cruel; did
lie not love your" was asked.
Yes, / think he did, but / was very
nxious TO go to school, and study;
wanted, above all things, an education. |
lie objected. and put obstacles In my way,
nd rebelled against him."
HAS BROTHERS AND SISTERS.
HIVE you any brothers or sistersy'
sked the reporter.
Yes" she said, II have one sister older
nan am, who Is II arried TO James Mil ,
n. coachman. in Huntington. w. Va: !