The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-05-02
THE SPY Wno rook ATLANTA.
To This Day No Ono Knows whether u WINS
Man or Woman.
From the Chicago Chronicle.

From the Chicago Chronicle.
In the spring OF 1864 Atlanta was full OF
Johnaton's officers and soldiers. An uneasy
feeling prevailed in every circle. and It was
feared that the Fedornls might any day make
q forced march or a raid and surprise the city.
Still the people faced tho situation cou-
raReously. They had passed through'so mnny
dangers that they were not easily frightened.
The. sullen boom of Shermnn's big guns could
then be hesrd forty miles away. but Atlanta
maintained her usual serenity outwardly and
gave no align of hor secret misgivines.
The theatre was then on it's last leep, but
occasional performances were literally pa
tronized. One Of the star attractions in n
strolling company at that time was a pretty
black-eyed young woman. about twenty years
old. who carried the town by storm.
This girl was n wonder. Sho was equally
at home in tragedy and comedy. She could
sing AMI dance. and when she took q male
part in a play she was q bowling success.
A better oil around artist had never visited
Atlanta. and that was the general verdict.
When she told her story It excited sympa-
thy. She was a creole Of Louisiana. and her
family had been murdered BY q raiding party
of Buffers troops. She had taken refuge in
the Coafederacy, and. having no relations or
friends. she had hecided to use her rare dra-
story made tie pretty actress v,ry popular.
and che was patronized in q social way. by
u Snat drIv,S e1t'z nns Gons 9nne ana Sm WnIn,s LOOK ho her
her over the Notifications. which were then
nearly finished. The ,~creole's curiosity about
such matters charmed the military men. and
IL afforded them the greatest possible pleasure
TO answer her questions and explain every
Several weeks rolled by. and when her
company disbanded the actress remained In
lar boarding house and told her friends that
she needed n rest before going on the Rich
mond STAGE; She received a great deal OF at
army. The lines were closing around tho
city. but the creole charmer still fingered.
feet. They sent her costly presents. and every
fine day they might have been seen riding
WIN sndd der S'0p she 'he sc canes OF d Hssass%Geds' Tho
military mon were nearly crazy recause they
could not trace her. hut the ladies of the city
did not seem TO regret her departure-in fact.
should i'T be-. The the month n"' OF 70 june pHsee sll s%aa S Ss
star. Then came July and with 1t the begin
nirg Of the siege.
faSorise Of the footliEhts. and S at the fe'e end of
forty days Smelling people were thinking of far
more important matters The siege was over
At last and the Fedorals marched in.
One fine morning a Western corps command:
err with his staff rode through the city aud
WAS a small. dark-faced. blaci-eyrd young
man. who acted as his guide and poin It'd out
lanta man met this younsster face to face and
his surprise caused him to stand almost para
who had turned the heads of so many officers!
The strangers eyes met Those of the Atlanta
man and snapped yiciouslv. Then n mocking
emile spread over his piauant face. and his
glance was plainly ono of recognition. The
Georgian spoke, Guardedlv tn several OF Sher-
mans officers about the mysterious young man.
but they gave very little satisfaction. Finally
it was learned that he was a famous personator
of male and female characters on tho French
stage in New York city. But was he a man or
a woman? Nobody could answer this question:
the most successful spies who had ever served
tho Union cause. The mystery OF this per-
sons sex remained unsolved.