The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-04-13
SENORITA LOPEZ.
THE HANDsoMEsT FEDERAL SPY.

When the Scnorita Maria Lopez made
her appearance in Atlanta during the
siege she created a decided sensation
among the gallant officers who were fight
ing all day and dancing all night. The
senorita was pretty. Her flashing eyes
seemed to look right through a man, and
her manner of tluttcring a fan was too
eloquent for anything. Just where the
Senorita Lopez came from no one knew.
She said that her father, Il New Orleans
refugee, was IL Richmond, and that in
returning from a visit to friends in Char
lesion she had received instructions to
await his arrival here. OF course this cx-
PLANTATION was satisfactory, and if there
had been any doubt the young lady's
glittcring diamonds, bright eyes, and ar
dent Confederate principles would lave
won the day.
We were not entirely given over to
.sackcloth and ashes during the siege.
Balls and receptions took place almost
every night, and there were various anna
teur entertainments. In all the ~fcstivi-
tics of the time the charming Spanish
senorita bore her part. She was the ac-
knowledged belle of the siege, and her
almost reckless daring completely fas-
cinatcd the officers, from the general
down. One thing about Maria Lopez
delighted us. Federal shells had no ter
rors for her, and when other ladies
shrickcd and ran off unccrcmoniously
from their visitors to plunge into, a bomb
proof, this brilliant and fearless creature
pld simply clap her hands and make
4 ~~fhc scornful remark about the wrctchcd
aim of the Yankee gunncrs. After our
Notifications around the city had been
nearly completed, the %scnorita rode out
every day with some of her military adj
mircrs to view the works. This was
rather p~erilous. Stray bullets and shells
were always whizzing by, and it was a
common thing to see Il general or a colo
mel dodge behind Il tree. But it was
soon noticed that the ~scnorita never even
ducked her proud little head. She would
sit her horse like Il statue, and laugh in
derision when her escorts proved them
selves unable to stand the racket.
'Oh, would give anything to be a
soldicr!" she said one day, after looking
through Colonel Blanks field glass.
81 would glory in the opportunity of
showing men how to fight and die for a
great cause"
Perhaps this was too intense, too bonn
bastic, but in those days everything
that VIC. wrote and spoke was in this fer
vid strain. So the scnorita's talk pro-
voked nc comment, except a tribute of
admiration.
One day our heroine passed me at a
gallop on her way back from the breast
works. Something white tluttcrcd down
from her riding habit. I picked it up,
but the lady was out of sight, riding like
the wind. T~houghtlcssly I allowed the
paper to come open. What saw troub-
led nc not Il little. I saw traced out in
detail the plan Of fully half Of our forts
and trenches. The paper also contained
tho location of certain Government build
ings, and al estimate of our forces.
There was but one thing to do.
hated to get a pretty woman into trouble,
but 1 had to do my duty. In an hours
time the paper was in the hands of the
provost marshal. The ncxt day I was
brought face to face with Maria Lopez.
The hearing was in private, and a circle
of colonies and Majors sat around the &C.
cuscd, frown,ng 1T me as if had beer
guilty Of some criminal act. When I re.
lated the t~:rcurnsjanccs attending the
finding Of the paper, the little Spaniard
looked at the officers with a merry smile.
a~ sssIsthink," said she, 'that you dom
carc ~ hear from me. will say, how,
esss That 1 never saw the paper, an6
theodore could not have dropped it
The D man perhaps found it, but h.
could#lptshav seen me drop it," Sh,
smissa Ksssly on the provost-marshal
I'd that individual. ether,
must mistake here. We do no
doubt aity, sir, but we had bet
ter hear 2S this"
l was dpded and abashcd
Knowing about the ways Q