The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-26
HEROIC CUBAN GIRL.
Has Applied for "a Position as Courier
with Invading Army.
Boston Journal.

Boston Journal
Beautiful, accomplished, dashing and an
orphan that Cuba might be free; such is
the story of Rosa MaSSO, who has applied
to President Mckinley to be sent to her
native land with our army as a courier, a
strange duty for a woman, to be sure, but
warranted by her record and experience
Though only nineteen years of age Senorita
Rosa Masso, La Cubanita," has had adj
ventures that come to few of mature years
She has lived to see her father murdered on
his hearthstone, her brother brought dead
from the battlefield, to serve three months
as courier and spy for Maceo, and to es-
cape from Havana on an American yacht
to Florida.
Miss Masso stopped last night at the
Adams House, in the course of her travels
through the United States, and granted an
interview to the Journal She spoke English
with a charming foreign accent that lent
interest to herself-if any interest were
needed to be added to so brilliantly beauti-
ful woman Her story ran in this wise:
My brother Valentin we lost first. He
was MORALLY wounded in one of the fights
near the border of Pinar del Rio. That was
when General Maceo was crossing and re-
crossing the western trocha and battles took
place every two or three days. After Val
entln'S death and very early one morning
L was aroused from my sleep by a loud
noise and knocking on my bedroom door.
MY Old nurse, Maria, cried to me-
your your, brother! We are lost! They have
killed your father!''
gone. 1t was too late; would have fought
with him against them, but they had killed
him. He lay dead on the steps with a knife
plunged in his breast / drew out the blade
with both hands and yelled at the retreating
Span1ards, but they laughed at me- Thank
God my brother Antonio escaped! They had
fired the house and it burned to the ground
After that | helped party of women
nurse wounded patriots. One man that I
found dying, shot through the lungs, told
me he was dispatch bearer; that he had a
cipher message for General Maceo, and
asked me to try and get it to him.
/ a hnrCn and ohaa o1xy
like a poor girl. rode to San CristobaI. I
hid the message in a cloth band about my
wear-see, like this" and here Miss Masso
deity twisted a handkerchief and bound it
about her brows. making head-dress de-
cldedly becoming. | could not go around
San Crstobal," she continued "for the
mountains prevented itrat least I would
have had to ride many more miles and TAX
en- many days,
AT the gates of San Cristobal they
stopped me and demanded my business. I
up to the soldiers. l told them l was ask
ing aims, so they let me through. l looked
bad enough to be beggar, for my clothes
We're ragged. L got through San Cristobal,
and outside the city l managed to get an
other horse; he was miserable animal,
but had to. pay $50 for him. Then l rode
on to Palacios, which 1 succeeded in en-
tering with an old market woman and her
cart. You see, / could not go around Pa
lacios. either. on account Of the mountains.
l left the tired horse outside the city with
a countryman, who agreed to have it ready
for me next morning on the other side.
Next day / rode through slum, mire
miasmal swampS and water till / reached
and crossed Weylers famous trocha. 1 am
told that l am the first woman who did So
"Wading to my horses stomach 1 crossed
between San Antonio and Artemisa. Ten
miles further on L found Maceo's camp and
delivered the message to one of his staff
as the general was away at the time. The
aid who received the message tore from
his hat the little flag that he wore and gave
it to me-
In reply to questions, Miss Masso said
that on the trip she was travelling night
and day-except one night-for five days,
and that she rode over one hundred miles
OF extremely rough country. 1t was in the
rainy season, and she was wet and tired
most of the time In the sWampS she wore
little sponge protection over her mouth
against the bad air and odor. She said that
the block houses of the trocha were most
of them separated by as much as a mile
and half, and that kind of picket duty
was kept up on the line between them.
Continuing her story, Miss Masso said:
while in Havana about four months ago
l ascertained that ] was being watched by
Spanish spies, and found that | would have
TO flee for my life. A college friends of
my brother Antonio struggled me on board
an American yacht which took me to Flor
ida"
Are you anxious to get back to Cuba?'
was asked.
l know the name of the Spaniard who killed
my father-he was an officer, and some day
l will meet him." There was a CLEAN in
her eye that BODIED no good to that officer.
Miss Masso was educated abroad, but in
her native land had learned to ride and
shoot like man, so the duty she has
sought, viz, courier, she has proven how
we'll fitted she is to perform. Her brother
Valentin, who was killed, was a captain of
irregular cavalry. She is known in the
island as La Cubanita'' Uhe little Cuban