Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-04-16

ingtou correspondent Of the World writing
fom Washington tells who Mrs Mason, or Dl
Wis. is; the lady who appears in connection with
the arms sales as attempting to whecdlc Wizard
OUT of s25, 900 for Influence which she claimed
to have at the War Department:
She was born in Virginia some thirty years
ago. ami grew to wumanhond there and III Bal
t,mnre, in which last city she became engaged
m I'i, be- married TO distinguished Californian,
and who dying before their marriage, LETT her Il
handsome income Of which she was defiaudrd,
Her family having removed to Washington
size resided here several years betore the
war, and un.il She was allowed, upon pass
specially granted BY General Scott.i the fall OF
1861, to cross the lines into Virginia upon
impor,an, family affairs. Crossing the Puto.
mae IN small trail boat, her Journey to Rlch-
monl was full Of hardshipS and romantic Incl
dents. for she was suspected by the rebel au-
rhorties. who for some time regarded her as a
spv. Her stay in the South was short, how
ever. for she was taken under flag OF truce
70 Norfolk or Fortress Monroe. and turned
nver. according TO the newspapers of the day,
a. an ''alieT: enemy" expelled from the Con
!tIrracy 1t is alleged however, that this was
= mere cloak to conceal an important mission
with which she had been entrusted ut Rich
mond, and for which her peculiar talents, stu
dies aud inclination appeared to mt her One
thing is certain ut least. she DID not enter Nir-
ginia on any other errand than personal busl-
ness
Returning to Washington, she resided ap-
ra,eutly at one of the principal hotels, attract.
ipy good deal of attention from prominent
military men and politicians, uutil finally ar,
restc,i and thrown into the "Old Capitol Pr
son" upon the charges OF being 10 direct COM
mupicalion with the rebel authorities aud having
brguiled information from high staff officer.
Curiously enough, is thought she owed her
arrest to rival enissary, the fam US Mrs.
Greenough. After several mouths lncarccra-
ton. no prof having been found against her,
she was released, but required to return to the
South, presenting in the person OF Que delicate
woman the strange spectacle OF beng expelled
alternatey from the territory OF two giant bel
hgrrent powers, or tossed like Shuttlecock frt M
one to the other She was even sent under
the escort Of an officer to the Confederate lines
on James river.
As an illustration of her ceverness it is told
on good authority that, having handsome
Confederate flag tor General 5eauregard, ana
finling that her baggage would be searched as
she was leaving Federal territory, she fold,
ed it within her shawl, which was proudly ami
eallantly carried upon the arm OF the officer
General BucI) entrusted by the Government
with her expulsion from the territory OF the
United States.
For the rest of the war she seems to have
resided at Charleston, S. c.. where she was
when that CITY fell into Feleral possession in
February, 1865, and soon after which she was
allowed t. return to her family in this city,
with whom she has been residing ever since.
She is a brunette of the most decided type,
with purple black hair, dark. brown eyes, aud
although of small delicate figure is OF Sngularly
striking appearance, with the air and manner
of a French rather than an American woman.
She has read a great deal, athoush h irreGu;arty,
and is exceedingly well informed about matter$
that do not generally interest women. ally
political aff.lrs and historical subjects Thor
oughIy feminine III appearance, her turn o.
thought is masculine. She converscS with
hueucy and earncstucSS IN musical seductive
voice. and is most attractive tor clever men,
with whom the attraction arises from menta
rather than physical qualities. although at times
she is very pretty.
r. has attracted general notice that woman
should have been found mixed up IN these
arms sales, but in reality it would have been
strange had no woman been thus connected: as
in all other human aft ,irs from birth to death =
in the redemption as well as the fall of nIan.
We have all heard the trite but characteristic
story of the Frenrh Judge who, when any one
was arraigned before him on any charge was
wont to ask, Who is the woman! This,
however, has always been the practice OF man.
For did not Adam. even in Paradise, resort to
the craven device of exclaluiing The woman
who thou gavrst TO be with me, she gave me or
the tree. and did eat In their evidence
Peck and Wizard have only shown themselves
true sons of Adam.
CooKISG There is probably no country
where a greater and better variety ui food Is
attainable by the people than here 10 America.
In this respect we compare with other nations
as we do in our political system. We have the
right of suffrage and our government Is repre-
sentative but from want OF Intelligence in the
application OF the means ready at our hands,
the results 10 both departments are 50 diSas-
trou>ly bad as we see them.
What. for example, is easier to make than
Gun of coffee ? all that it needs is coffee
and boiling water (supposng that the berry IS
bought roasted aud ground) and yet now
seldom one finds in either restaurants. notes.
or private houses really fine cup OF coffee-
one in which the aroma and lite OF this dell,
cious beverage has not been cruelty murdered
BY sume stupid process of making Now there
i. no mixture which takes more kindly to the
process of carifca,ion than coffee, If 1t IS not
impvded in its method of so doing. Al thu1
it requires is to be let alone for few minutes, ana
it will settle the difficulty by settling itself ana
the liquor will pour off sparkling aud e:earr- r.
And yet it is the rarest thing toeet such conce'
people torture it by putting iu fsh-skIns' egg
shells, and what not, and then wonder that the
result is the muddy mixture they ind
Potatoes, properly boied, or fried, or pre-
pared in any way, can be made ne" Pleasu.a ,h.oo