Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-04-26

W ing reading! It is just as if the charac- ters of some charming novel had stepped down into real life and were enactins: roll of which the boldest romancer ia his most extravagant flights might have conceived. A double bill. Two TO- mances in real life which are stranger than fiction. N
 Humble Origin of Rose Pastor. a Twenty-six years ago Rose Harriet Pastor was born in Augustovo, Suwalk, Russia, a child of the peasantry Tolstoi and Gorky have told the world about. Of this period of her life Miss Pastor says: T was only three years old when l left Russia, but think can remember little about it, just very little, faint shadow of remembrance. Then there was London, where we lived in White chapel, and were very poor, indeed" A chapter in her life which had its be- ginning in London in those early years had an interesting sequel in New York city recently and reminds one of the fact that Pastor is not the real name of the young Jewess. Her fathers name was Jacob Weisslender, and about year after their removal to London he was di- vorced from her mother, and all trace of the man was lost.
 Finds Her Father.
 Mrs. Weisslender married a man named Pastor, and Rose took her step- fathers name. He died several years ago; and the support of the family fell on Rose, the eldest child. When she moved to New York, about two years ago, and obtained employment, on the Jewish Daily News, she set about to find her father. Her friends assisted her, and about IS months ago Bennett Lieberman, who worked with her, discovered an old cobbler in little shop on Scammel street. The name on the sign was "Yan- kel Weisslender." Weisslender was Rose Pastors father.
 Mrs. Pastor and her daughter sought the Scammel street place. The old shoe- maker had taken unto himself young wife. Mother and daughter never again revisited the place, and they have kept their secret. A short time after the visit Weisslender sold his shop and left the city. He is now believed to be in Scran- ton, Pa. -..5-, ,.. -a.. Early Struggles.
 Of her early struggles and ambitions, and her successful overcoming of ob- stacles and hindrances, which would have overpowered the average person, she says:
 "I learned to read there, and when was nine years old we came to America. We lived in Cleveland, and when was 11k years old went to work in a to- bacco factory. rolling tobacco for cigars; always that for 12 years.
 When l first went to work, a man came in and sent me home. I did not know why then, but do now. It was be- cause was too young to work in fac tory. But it was not long until was back at the work. was not unhappy. am never unhappy at work.
 "One day a boy lent me Les Miser- ables.' That took hold of me :n won- derful way. That boy was the son of the owner of the factory His father sent him through Yale He went back to Cleveland, opened law office and while waiting for clients wrote The Fugitives, which was brought out last year"
 Brighter Days.
 And while John Graham Phelps Stokes was preparing for Yale, and leading the life of the rich, the Jewish girl, with the eyes of the dreamer and the hair of Ros- etti's Blessed Damosel," sat year after year at her bench, rolling the endless rows of cigars and dreaming, ever dream ing.
 After Il years her dreams found ex- pression. She began to write bits of verse, and found market for her work with the Jewish Daily News, of this city. A position was offered her on the paper, and she came to New York, relying on her own salary of $15 week to support her mother and six younger children.
 Five months after her arrival she was sent out on her first interview. To the shy. reserved girl 1t was difficult task. She was sent to interview J. G. Phelps Stokes, of the University Settlement. Only a month previous Mir. Stokes sister Caroline had startled the social world by marrying young Robert Hunter. set- clement worker. Rumor had it that they were to establish a rival settlement to the University. and that Phelps Stokes would join them
 Beginning of Remarkable Romance.
 Miss Pastor was sent to get state ment from Mir. Stokes. and here is the beginning of the remarkable romance Her simple, modest statement of this incident and what it has meant to her. is as follows:
 "It will be two years next July since I came to New York and soon after came I went to work on the Jewish Daily News. The first interview to which I was assigned was one with Mir. Stokes. I dA ot want to do it. I pictured him as old and stiff. My edi- tor insisted When I was told that he ~as ouf of towu I ~as deliehteS sYou