Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-11-09
A LOVELY SPY'S PLAN.
How Mrs. Virginia Mason Hood
Winked the Union officers
AND SERVED GEN. BEAUREGARD.
She Covered Her Little Black-and-Tan With
Another Dogs Skin
AND HID VALUABLE PAPERS IN IT

war "ere laQles. Possessing, as many OF
them did, beauty, fnesse, the instructive
knowledge of human nature that enables
the sex to penetrate the weakest points of
mans armor, and patriotism that made
them proud to assume any risk that would
benefit their cause, many undertook mis-
sions so desperate that only their womanhood
saved them from short shrift when discoy-
cred.
A case in point occurs to me, writes Felix
G. de Fontaine in the New York Press. We
had fallen back from Fairfax Court House
and gone into camp at CenterVille. Winter
was at hand and smoke curled lazily upward
from 10000 clay-built chimneys. Every
tree had been leveled by the soldiers az;
the old turnpikes were lost in a labyrinth Of
foot-worn paths, and fields, where only a
little while before the wind played hide and
seek among the growing corn, were now as
hard as the bed of billiard table. The
headquarters of Beauregard were in farm
house, unpainted and unpretentious, that
once had been the home of famous Virginia
hospitality, but ''the boys had gone to the
war;" the old folks had retired to more con-
genial scenes in the interior of the State,
and all around were signs of ruin.
INFORMATION BADLY NEEDED.
The plans of Mcclellan, whose army was
encamped In our front, his fighting strength
and the disposition of his forces, together
with the new phase Of public senti nent in
the North that was then beginning to take
shape, were at this time subjects of grave
concern to our commander, and it was i'm
portant to obtain more definite information
than had been furnished by the regular
spies. How to get it, however, and through
whom was the question.
The problem was solved while at break
fast one morning by member of Beaure-
CARDS staff. IT know lady" he said, sin
the neighboring county of Loudon. who
possesses every qualification of a successful
secret agent. Her name is Mrs. Virginia
Mason. She is young, fascinating, highly
educated, welcome guest in many Wash
ington families and acquainted with large
number OF Northern people who, spent their
winters in the capital before the war
Withal, she is a widow, her husband having
been killed at the battle of Manassas, and
brave enough to undertake anything that
will serve the land she loves"
WHAT HER DUTIES WERE.
Beauregard instructed the officer to ride
headquarters, and in day or two she ap-
peared. In the interview that followed he
| told her what he required-a report from
McClellan's army, its condition, the dispo-
sition OF his forces and the plans discussed
by the military authorities in Washington
For this purpose she was to ingratiate herr
self with prominent officers, visit New York,
Baltimore, the various departments or any
| other points where information could be
procured. She was also to communicate
with the representatives of the Confederate
| Government in different cities of the North.
The lady eagerly accepted the PROPOSE
tion, and supplied with an abundance of
| money, started at once on the perilous En-
rand which meant glory if she was success
full and prison if she failed. She returned
after an absence OF several weeks, crossing
the Potomac opposite Dumiries, and ar
rived at the camp OF Colonel, now Senator,
Wade Hampton. Thence, escorted by ona
of his officers, she was driven to headquSrs
ters at Centerville.
WITH A SHAGGY SKYE TERRIER.
can see her now as she alighted from the
| ambulance on the piazza of the little brown
farm house; a young but matronIy-Iook1ng
lady, handsome too, with glowing dark
eyes, that looked as if they had fireworks in
them. She was dressed in black, and her
only baggage was a small hand satchel. She
was also accompanied by a shaggy Skye ter
rier, Ia mere arInful, that made a soldier
who hadn't ssee pretty woman for a month
of Sundays envious.
What occurred within the doors that
closed upon her was related to me afterward
by General Jordan, then and subsequently
Beauregard's Adjutant General. Beaure-,
gard was of course, delighted to see her, and
with a woman's volubility she told him more
l. 1
months. The verbal part of the interview
being ended, he inquired for her papers, the
record OF her trip, and the dispatches he e1-
pected from Confederates in the North.
WORRYING THE GENERAL.
"Why, General, didn't dare to bring
them on my person" she replied with
peculiar smile. ''It was unsafe, you know;
/ might have been captured, and therefore
1 have told you all 1 know by word Of
mouth"
Beauregard could not conceal his veKa-
tion. and the more he showed it the more
the little woman seemed to enjoy it. Final
lv- after teasing him to her hearts content,
she said with affected occurrences, General,
have you pair of scissors or knife? I'd
like to use it for a minute"
Beauregard handed her the ink eraser.
"Come here, Dot" she called to the dog,
told you, General, it was not safe to carry
important papers on my person and have
not done so; in fact, have been suspected
and searched, but a woman's wit is some
times superior to mans Judgment. SeeP'
she said with eoquettish nonchalanee, as she
turned the little animal on his back and de-
liberately proceeded to rip him open. "Hers
are the dispatched
SPLITTING OPEN THE DOG.
As she spoke she held in one hand the
hide of her Skye terrier and with the other
smilingly extended package of closely
written tissue paper, while dancing about
the floor was pretty "black and tan"
happy at his delivery from another dogs
clothes.
The deception was perfect, the mission a
success, Beauregard was enabled to antiei-
nate McClellaud's movements, and the
charming spy not only received a handsome
reward, but was led to the altar after the
war as the bride of the young officer who
sang her praises at Beauregard's breakfast
table.
Mrs. Mason afterward engaged in a num-
ber of perilous enterprises, visiting the
North several times and once running the
blockade from Charleston with the late
Captain Bob" Lockwood, so long identi-
fed with the New York and Charleston lins
of steamers. Whether she is still alive do
not know.
Sarah Bernhardfs Bracelet.
Sarah Bernhardt in cleopatra" wears .
braeelet of zoIid oold heaten into the shape