Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1890-11-21
A Smart Spy.

I
ing the war were ladies. Possessing, a
many Of them did, beauty, hnesse, the in
stinctiye knowledge of human nature tha
enables the sex to penetrate the weakes
point of mans armor, and patriotism
that made them proud to assume any risl
that would benefit their cause, many un
dertook missions so desperate that onll
their womanhood saved them from shor
shrift when discovered.
\ case in point occurs to me. We bat
| fallen back from Fairfax Court House anC
gone into camp av Centreville. Winter
/ was at hand and smoke curled lazily mp
ward from ten thousand clay built chin
| neys. Every tree had been leveled by the
| soldiers ak; the old turnpihes were lost
in labyrinth of foot worn paths. and
| fields where only 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 oi
Beauregard were in a farmhouse, unpaint
ed and unpretentious, that once had been
lhc uouIc VI ldulOuS HEinla HosPi1ailtg
but 1.-THE boys had gone to the war;" the
old folks had retired to more congenial
scenes in the interior of the State, and all
around were signs of ruin.
The plans of Mcclellan, whose army was
eneamped in our front, his fighting strength
and disposition of his forces, together with
the new phase of public sentiment in the
North that was then beginning to take
concern to our commander, and it was i'm
portant to obtain more definite informa-
ton than had been furnished by the regu-
lar spies. How to get it, however, and
through whom was the question.
The problem was solved while at break
fast one morning by a member of Beau
regards staff ~ know lady" he said,
''in the neighboring county of Loudon,
who possesses every qualification of a sue
cessful secret agent. Her name is Mrs.
Virginia Mason. She is young, fascinat-
ing, highly educated, welcome guest in
many Washington families and acquainted
with large number of Northern people
who spent their winters in the capital be-
fore the war. Withal, she is widow, her
husband having been killed at the battle
of Manassas, and brave enough to under
take anything that will serve the land she
loves"
Beauregard instructed the officer to ride
over to Loudon and invite the lady to visit
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 dis
position of his forces and the plans of the
military authorities in Washington. For
this purpose she was to ingratiate herself
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
errand, which meant glory if she was sue
cessful, and prison if she failed She
returned after an absence Of several weeks,
crossing the Potomac opposite Dumfrics,
and arrived at the camp OF Colonel, now
Senator, Wade Hampton. Thence, escort
ed by one of lis officers, she was driven to
headquarters at Centreville
can see her now as she alghted from
the ambulance on the piazza of the little
brown farm house; young but matronly
looking lady, handsome, too, with glowing,
dark eyes, that looked as if they had fire.
works in them. She was dressed in black,
and her only baggage was a small hand
satchel. She was also accompanied by
shaggy Skye terrier mere armful, that
made a soldier who hadn't seen a pretty
woman for a month of Sundays envious.
What occurred within the doors that
closed upon her was related to me after
ward by General Jordan, then and sub
sequently Beauregard's adjutant general.
Beauregard was, of course, delighted to
see her, and with a woman's volubility she
told him more in two hours than he could
part of the interview being ended he in
quired for her papers, the record of her
trip and the dispatches he expected from
Confederates in the North.
"Why, General, / didn't dare to bring
them on my person." she replied with a
peculiar smile. at was unsafe, you know;
might have been captured, and therefore
have told you all l know by word of
mouth"
Beauregard could not conceal his vexa-
ton, and the more he showed it the more
the little woman seemed to enjoy it.
Finally, after teasing him to her hearts
content, she said with affected occurrences,
General, have you a pair of scissors or a
knifef I'd like to use it for minute"
Beauregard handed her the ink eraser,
"Come here, Dot" she called to the dog,
and taking him in her lap continued: II
told you, General, it was not safe to carry
important papers on my person and have
HOb uOHt bOy III ldClJ HhNe DctH Suspcttcu
and searched. but a woman's is sometimes
superior to mans judgmt See~ she
said with coquettish nonchalance, as she
turned the little animal on its back and
deliberately proceeded to rip him open.
Here are the dispatches" As she spoke
she held in one hand the hide of her Skye
terrier and with the other smilingly ex-
tended package of closely written tissue
paper, while dancing about the floor was a
pretty "black and TAM happy at his de-
liverance from another dogs clothes. The
deception was perfect, the mission sue
cess Beauregard was enabled to antiei-
pate McClellan's movements, and the
charming spy not only received n hand
some reward, but was led to the altar
after the war as the bride of the young
officer who sang her praises at Beau
regards breakfast table.
Mrs. Mason aftcrward engaged in a num-
Der OF perilous enterprises, visiting the
North several times and once running the
blockade from Charleston with the late
Captain Bob Lockwood, 30 long deptl-
fed with the New York and Charleston
line Of steamers. Whether she is still
alive / do not knorg.
FELIX G.. DE FoNTAISE.