The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1888-01-12
New York SUM-
BEAUREGARD PRETTY sPY,

BEA ~ &ks6 A KIDS PRETTY 0PY.
General Beauregard, whose headquar-
ters are in the New York hotel, still pre-
serves many of the characteristics that
made him pet in the Confederacy dur
ing the war. His strong French face is
furrowed by scarcely a wrinkle, and, de-
spite his sixty years of age he is as 1.-THE,
active and muscular as an athlete of
thirty. His manner, though quiet, are re
markably graceful, aud there are few men
in public life who are more easy Of ap-
proach. He is, withal, great favorite of
the fair sex, and is said that some of the
best secret service done while he was in
command was performed by ladies, espe-
cially when social diplomacy was the chief
weapon to be employed.
One of these was sent from Virginia to
Washington in 1861 to obtain, if possible,
the roster OF McClelan's army and such
other information as might indicate the
plans of the General with reference to an
advance on Centreville. She was amply
provided with means, and ably performed
the mission. When she returned, it was
by way of the Potomac, opposite Dunn
fries, Va, an outpost under the command
of General (then ColoneD Wade Hamp-
ton, with his Hampton Legion. That
gallant soldier at once forwarded the fair
spy to Beauregard, whose headquarters
were at Centseville. Her baggage con-
sisted only Of pet skye terrier and
grip sack. On arriving there she was
ushered into the presence of the General,
and with true womanly volubility pro-
ceeded to entertain him with a descrip-
tion of her adventures and their result.
Beauregard patiently allowed the lingual
treshet to flow on naturally, supposing
that when she got tired she would produce
the dispatches. But the little woman's
tongue was hung in the middle and
wagged at both ends, and, moreover, she
was too pretty to be silenced abru pity.
Finally, the General, unable to re-
strain his anxiety any longer, said:
swell, Mrs. M, where are your papers ?''
"Why, General, I've been trying to tell
you the news already. Don't you see it
wouldn't have been save to bring import
ant papers on my person, and so famil-
iarized myself with the contents. The
fact is that have been suspected and
searched already, so that it's lucky Pve
good memory" Beauregard, now unable
to conceal his chagrin, frankly told the
lady he was grievously disappointed,
having waited for the dispatch for long
time, and could place but little reliance
on memory of so many figures and de-
tails. Therefore her mission had proved
of little use. She listened to his scolding
with demure air and when he had fin-
ished looked at him with mischievous
twinkle in her eye, and called to her dog
Here, Floy r" The skye terrier jumped
in her lap. "General, have you a knife
about your" The knife was produced.
Then she turned the animal over on his
back, aud, to the amazement of Beaure-
gard, deliberately proceeded to rip him
open. In less time than it takes to tell it
she held in one hand the precious p,pers
and in the other the skin Of her skye ter
rier, while prancing about the floor, was a
diminutive black and tan pup, overjoyed
At his relief from an extra cuticle The
shrewd woman had sewed her dispatches
between the two skins in q manner that
defed detection, and under the very
noses Of the Federal videttes had carried
some of the most important information
transmitted during the war. It is need
less to say that Beauregard was delighted,
and it was but little while after this in
cident that Mcclellan advanced on Cen.
treville, only to find deserted camps.
batteries Of " Quaker guns and the Con.
federate army falling back toward Rich
mond and Yorktown. Between the dog
and pretty woman the General had got
tho "tip." Il II wonder that he 10 . de-
vetee Of the fair sex. e' #'t.as !.