Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1886-04-15
sENORlTA LOPEZ.

When the Senorita Maria Lopez made
her appearance in Atlanta during the
siege. she created decided sensation
among the gallant officers who were
fighting all day and dancing all night
The senorita was pretty. Her flashing
eyes seemed to look right through a
man, and her manner of futtering a
fan was too eloquent for anything
just where the Senorita Lopez came
from no one knew. She said that her
father, a New Orleans refugee, was in
Richmond, and that in returning from
a visit to friends in Charleston she had
received instructions to await his ar
rival here. OF course this explana-
ton was satisfactory, and if there 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
Maria 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 a bombproof, this brilliant
and fearless creature would simply
clap her hands and make some acorn-
ful remark about the wretched aim Of
the Yankee gunners. After our for
tifcations around the city had been
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
general or colonel dodge behind a
tree. But it was soon noticed that
the senorita never even ducked her
proud little head. She would sit her
horse like q statue, and laugh in de-
rision when her escorts proved them
selves unable to stand the racket.
"Ob, I would give anything to be
soldier !" 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
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 senorita's
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 dut-
tered down from her riding habit. l
picked it up, but the lady was out of
sight riding like the wind. Thought
lessly / allowed the paper to come
open. What | saw troubled me not
a 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 pretty woman into
trouble, but I had to do my duty. In
an hours time the paper was in the
hands of the proyost-marshal. The
= day l was brought face to face
Lopez. The hearing was
la circle Of colonies and
d the accused, frown-
d been guilty of
When / related
nding the find
= Spaniard
~,erry