The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-04-13
STACESTRUCK GIRL
INTERCEPTED AT
THEATER
Pretty Roma Conklin, Who
Flees From Home for
Love of Drama, Is Con-
fronted at Door of Play
house by Her Mother and
Policeman.

ell, Ill go TO the Sldlloil, CHeH' :
won't go home!"
A strikingly beautiful girl uttered
these words last evening to police
man, as the two stood on Sixth street,
near Wabasha.
The girl was Miss Roma Conklin.
Stagestruck, she had run away from
home. The mother and a woman friend
had awaited her appearance at the en-
trance of the Grand opera house.
Shortly after 8 O'Clock Roma and a
girl companion were about to enter the
theater when the mother accosted her
and a dramatic scene ensued.
The girl had a young woman COM
panion and the two protested against
the mothers entreaties. The mother,
however, was persistent, and would
not allow her daughter to go in. Soon
q crowd of loiterers, awaiting the open
ing of the performance, were attracted
by the loud words of the group.
The girl would not heed the plead
ings of her mother and insisted upon
leaving her and going into the theater.
She had on a small jacket and when
she was told that it did not belong to
her, she tore it off and threw 1t upon
the ground Indignantly. With the
breeze tossing her blonde hair about
she presented a picture of defiance.
Roma Loves the Stage.
Roma had taken a notion that she
wanted to go on the stage. and her
mother strenuously Directing to that,
they had disagreed, and last Saturday
night Roma left her home at 1915 East
Seventh street, and lodged with a girf
friend down town. The mother. know
ing the tastes of her daughter, sus-
pected that she would attend the play
at the Grand last night, and with a
friend stationed herself near the en-
trance so as to see her daughter as she
went in.
True to the surmise of Mrs. Conklin.
shortly after o'clock the girl appear
ed with her companion, and then fol-
lowed the scene which finally attracted
the attention of Patrolman Costello,
who entered the crowd to ascertain the
cause of the disturbance. Mrs. Conk-
lin then told the policeman that her
daughter had left home Saturday night
and that she was trying to induce her
to return.
Miss Roma had her version to tell
also and asserted positively that she
would not return home. While the girl
retained her presence of mind her agi-
tation accentuated her beauty.
She appeared, unconsCiously, as a
stage heroine, whom it was her ambi-
ton to emulate. The scene Immediate
ly outside the walls of the theater was
as dramatic as any that the girl would
have witnessed had she entered the
playhouse.
Patrolman Costello quietly led the
party down Sixth street, while the
mother continued her entreaties to her
daughter to accompany her home. The
girl, however, was obdurate. When the
party had passed below Wabasha street
the woman friend of Mrs. Conklin made
an effort to persuade the girl to come
home, but met with a burst of emo
ton.
you are no relation of mine; leave
me alone" exclaimed the girl, with fire
in her eyes, and, as the woman ap-
preached her, dashed her away with
her arm.
and said: you must either go home or
go to the station"
Preferred Station to Home.
''Well, I'll go to the station. then.
won't go home" retorted the girl.
The policeman then turned about and
led the girl up the street toward head
quarters. She went without protest
On st. Peter street, near Fourth, the
policeman stopped with the girl. dis
PEELED the crowd that was following
and awaited the mother and her friend,
who had fallen behind. Roma was left
on the opposite side of the street and
Patrolman Costello and Mrs. Conklin
and her friend held a conference. The
girl meanwhile waited in a shadow.
She handed to small boy that passed
two tickets for the performance.
Tears were in her eyes, and though
she was resolute she nevertheless was
affected. She said: They are trying to
bulldoze me, but 1 am eighteen years
old and may do as / please"
Soon after she was led to the station
by the policeman and made no objec-
ton, when, after a conference with the
officers at the station, she was led up
stairs by Mrs. Cummings, police ma
iron. The girl was not booked and no
charge will be preferred against her.
She will be liberated, having committed
no offense.
Roma acquired a love of the stage
some time ago and her ambition was to
become an actress. Four times before
last saturday night she had left home
and last winter had actually formed an
engagement with the company playing
Mr.. Jolly Of Joliet" in this city She
was rehearsing with the company when
her mother learned of it and through
the intervention of a friend had her en-
gagement Cancelled.