Saint Mary's beacon., 1886-04-15
SEM0RITA LOPEZ.

O6"OnssN AvFEks
When the SsnOrita Maria Lopez mad.
her appearance in Atlanta during the
siege she created decided sensation
among the gallant officers who were
lighting ell day and dancing all night.
The senorita was pretty. Her flashing
eyes seemed to look right through a
man, and her manner Of fiuttering a
fan was too eloquent for anything.
Just where the Senorita Lopez came
from no one knew. She said that her
father, New Orleans refugee, was in
Richmond, and that in returning from
a visit to friendsin Charleston she had
received instructions to await his ar
rival here. OF course this explana-
tion was satisfactory, and ifthere had
been any doubt the young lady's gilt
tering diamonds, bright eyes, and ar
dent Confederate principles would
have 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
amateur entertainments. In all the
festivities Of the time the charming
Spanish senorita bore her part. She
was the acknowledged belle of the
siege, and her almost reckless daring
completely fascinated the officers, from
the general down. One thing about
Maris Lopez delighted US. Federal
shells had no terrors for her, and when
other ladies shrieked and ran off un-
tremendously from their visitors to
plunge into bombproof, this brilliant
and fearless creature would simply
clap her hands and make some scorn-
full remark about the wretched aim of
thEss ttlEsdtfSRs dHtRfRksa arSHa rSRRaer4. rq. After tas
nearly completed, the senorita rode
out every day with some of her mill
tary admirers to view the works.
This was rather perilous. Stray bull
let's and shells were always whizzing
by, and it was a common thing to see
a general or a colonel dodge behind
tree. But it was soon noticed that
the senorita never even ducked her
proud little head. She would sit her
horse like a statue, and laugh in de-
rision when her escorts proved them
selves unable to stand the racket.
"Oh, / would give anything to be a
soldisrT She said one day, after look
ing through Colonel Blanks field glass.
Il would glory in the opportunity Of
showing men how to fight and die for
a great cause.
Perhaps this was too intense, too
bombastic, but in those days every
thing that we wrote and spoke was in
this fervid strain. So the senoritas
talk provoked no comment, except a
tribute of admiration.
One day our heroine passed me at
a gallop on her way back from the
breastworks. Something white Aut-
tered down from her riding habit. /
picked it up. but the lady was out Of
sight riding like the wind. Thought
lessly l allowed the paper to come
open. What l saw troubled me not
little. saw traced out in detail
the plan of fully half of our forts and
trenches. The paper also contained
the location of certain Government
buildings, and an estimate of our
forces.
There was but one thing to do. !
hated to get a pretty woman into
trouble, but l had to do my duty. In
an hours time the paper was in the
hands Of the provost-marshal. The
next day l was brought face to face
with Maria Lopez. The hearing was
in private, and circle Of colonels and
Majors sat around the accused, frown.
ing at me as if l had been guilty oI
some criminal act. When / related
the circumstances attending the find
ing of the paper, the little Spsniard
looked at the officers with q merry
smile.
Il think" said she, "that you dom
care to hear from me. ! win say
however, that l never saw the paper
and therefore could not have droppeC
it. The young man perhaps found ii
but be could not have seen me droI
it," She smiled sweetly on the provost
marshal.
"Aheml" said that individual