The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1881-07-21

lamented creator. The lady gave for the
Salome" $1,000 and Cor the Fortuny $14.-
600, SO that the profit would have been.
rather a neat one. She consulted Alexan-
Dire Dumas respecting. her final action in
the matter, and when he found she did not
need the money, advised her to retain the
works; saying, in effect, that her ownership,
of the paintings had made her famous, and
that if she let them 50 nobody would know
anything about her. She was not offended
by this frankness- and took Dumas's advice.
and at her death will leave the works to the,
Louvre.
THE ROMANCE. OF BELLE BOYD.
The Story of q Female Spy of the Rebellion.
From the Philadelphia Record, June Q.
Sitting last evening on the porch of a.
comfortable residence in the extreme north
western section of the city, with a sweet
little miss of three and another of seven,
summers playing hide and seek around her.
clair, was q lady who score Of years ago
bore an international reputation. Few, III
any, of those who, knew her once would.
now recognize in the handsome. well-per-s
served woman, Of commanding presence
and hlghbred bearing, with compilations
like rose and lily combined, wealth Of
sunny, chestnut brown hair, sparkling eyes,
a sweet mobile mouth, and q face most
varying expression-the vivacious, daring
girl who in war times had but one name,
and that Belle Boyd, the confederate
spy"
The story Of Belle Boyd's life reads Ike
q romance. Born in Virginia of good. old
cavalier stock, she had barely graduated
and made her debut in Washington society
when the war commenced, and her father,
witt 1o$h coFl I: b.
arms in the confederate cause, Whea Gen.
Robert Patterson with his troops entered
Marinburg her native place, she was acting
the part of the ministering angel to the
wounded in the improvised hospital, While
engaged in these duties many scraps of in
formation concerning the movement Of the
federal army came to her ears, and thus it
was that, with an impulsiveness and ardor
due largely to her youth, she entered upon
the task with which her name became so
prominently identified. Several ladies of
the place, who had also been picking up
scraps of news, held meeting at her house,
the items were punched together, put upon
paper and the document placed in the
hands Of trusty celored servant for trans
mission to Gen. Jackson. This went on
safely for some time, until one day the
messenger was captured by the federal
pickets and compelled to disclose his mis-
sion. Thereupon Belle Boyd" was arrest
ed, taken before Gen. Robert Patterson,
enlightened as to the nature and penalties
Of the articles of war, and finally placed
under espionage during the remainder Of
the generals stay in town.
From this time onward she devoted her.
| self to the task OF furnishing information
| to the supporters Of the Lost Cause. Scores
of times she was placed under temporary
| arrest, and on two occasions she was incar-
cerated for months ia the Old Capitol and
Carol prisons at Washington. Oftentimes
she was found in the middle of the hottest
fights, but, although on many occasions
her clothing was literally riddled with bull
let's, she invariably escaped personal injury.
1t is related Of her that on one occasion,
when taken prisoner, she was taken before
Gen. Butler, at Fortress, Monroe. OBJ
serving her agitation, Ben remarked:
Pray be seated. But why do you trem-
BILE SO. Are you frightened?''
mo. ah-.tAat is, yes, Gen. Butler, I
must acknowledge that I do feel frightened
IN the presence Of man Of such worldwide
reputation as yourself" was her reply.
What do you mean?" remarked the gen.
eral, as he rubbed his hands together and
smiled benignly. F..
|
you are man whose atrocious conduct and
brutality, especially to Southern ladies, is
SO infamous that even the British parlia-
ment commented upon it. naturally feel
alarmed at being in your presence"
With rage depicted upon every lineament
of his features, the general arose from the
table and ordered her to be taken from the
room. ~
During her residence in Washington
Belle Boyd" formed an intimate aquaint-
ance with President Lincoln, and friendly
correspondence was kept up between the
two during greater portion of the war.
On one occasion her letter paper was
adorned with the Confederate motto, q
snake entwined around a Confederate flag.
and the inscription, Don't tread on us, or
we will bite" When Lincoln replied to
the missive, he sent back the motto with
bite" erased and the word ''bust" substi-
uted. #sfts
Broken down in health and bereaved bv
the loss of her father, who died in the en-
deavor to effect her release from captivity,
Belle Boyd" determined to leave for for
eign shores, and in May, 1864, she embark
ed on the Greyhound at North Carolina as
the bearer Of important dispatches from
Jefferson Davis and Judah P. Benjamin to
/ eAAO A4AOAub VI tuO Cdu6O III AUuOOu. IN en-.
deavoring to run the blockade, however the
| Greyhound was captured by a United States
steamer. Belle Boyd was taken to Boston,
kept a prisoner for some time, and finally
banished to Canada. From there she went
to England, where she passed the second
| epoch Of her ife. She was married at the
! azistocratic church Of st. James, Piccadil-
| ly, received with open arms in titled soci-
ETY., became widow, and finally, having
| natural talent for the theatrical profession,
| took to the stage.
Probatably no person in the country has
been afflicted with so many troubles" as
this lady. Since her return to America and
marriage to Col. j. s. Hammond, an Eng
lish gentleman, once member of the noted
Louisiana Tigers she has completely
sunk her IDENTIFY with that of her husband,
and with the exception of few occasions,
when she has appeared upon the platform
as the talented reader and elocutionist
Maria Isabel Hammond" her mind has
been engrossed with domestic affairs. Yet
every few months she is vexed and annoyed
by coming across the announcement the
Belle Boyd, the ex-confederate spy, had
turned up in some part Of the country. Now
the pretender is heing entertained by some
prominent Sontherner, again she is in dis
tress, and soliciting aid Several years
ago one of these bogus Bellies visited At
lanta on q lecturinp tour and was denounced