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Show A SPY'S PLAiY. HOW MRS- VIRCINIA MASON HOODWINKED HOOD-WINKED THE UNION OFFICERS. She Ilia reper Which Were nt Great Importance to the Southern Ainu Between Two Dog Hkloe. Some ot tho most valuable, as well as courageous, secret agents of tho fcouth during tho war wero ladies. Possessing, as many ot them did, beauty, Uncssc, tho i'nstlnctlvo knowledge knowl-edge of human nature that enablos tho eox to ponotrato tho weakest points of man's armor, nnd a patriotism that mado tbem proud to assumo any risk I that would bonollt their cattso, many undortook missions so desperatn that only their womanhood saved thou) from n short shrift when discovered. . A caso in point occurs to mo, writes Felix G. do Fontnlne in the N. Y. Press. Wo had fallen back from Fairfax Fair-fax Court House, nnd gono into camp nt Ccntorvillc. Winter wns at hand, nnd smoko curled lazily upward from 10,000 clay-built chimnoys. Evorv treo had been lovclod by the soldier's ax; tho old turn-plkcs wero lost in n labyrinth ot foot-worn paths' and fields, whero only a llttlo whllo beforo tho wind played hido and seek among tho growing corn, woro now as hard ns tho bed ot a billiard table. Tho headquarters head-quarters ot Beauregard wero in a farmhouse, farm-house, uupalnted nud unpretentious, that onco had been tho home of famous Virginia hospitality, but "the boys had gono to tho war," tho old folks had retired re-tired to moro congenial scones in tho interior of tho state, and nil around wcro signs ot ruin. Tho plans of MuClollan, whoso army wns oncamped iu our front, his fighting fight-ing strength and tho disposition of his forces, togothor with tho new phaso of public sentimont iu tho north that was then beginning to tako shape, wero at this timo subjects of gravo concern to our commandor, nnd It was important to obtain more dellnito information than had been furnished by tho rog-ular rog-ular spies. How to got it, however, and through whom was tho question. Tho problem wns solved whllo nt breakfast ono morning by a niembor of Heaurogard's staff. 5 know n lady," hu said, "in thu neighboring county ot Loudon, who possesses ovory qualll'ica-' tlon of a successful secret agent. Her namo is Mrs. Virginia Mason. Sho Is young, fascinating, highly educated, a welcome guest in many washlngtou families, and acquainted with a largo number ot northorn pcoplo who spout their winters In the capita) before tho war. Withal, sho is a widow, hor husband hus-band having beeu killed at tho battlu ofMaunssas and bravo , enough to tin-dorlako tin-dorlako anything that will servo tbo land sho loves." ' Beauregard Instructed tho officer to ride ovor to London and Invito tho lady to visit headquarters, nnd in a day or two sho appeared. In tbo interview in-terview that followed ho told hor whnt ho required a report from McClel-Inn's McClel-Inn's army, its condition, tho disposition disposi-tion of his forces, and the plans discussed dis-cussed by tho military authorities in Washington. For this purposo sho was to ingratiate horsolf with prominent promi-nent officers, visit Now York, Baltimore, Balti-more, tho various departments, or any othor points whoro Information could bo procured, Sho was also to commu-nicato commu-nicato with the represontntlves of tho confodorato government in different cities of tho north. Tho lady oagorly accoptod tho proposition, prop-osition, nnd supplied with an abundance abund-ance of money, startod at onco on tho perilous erran'd, which meant glory if sho was successful, nnd prison if sho failed. Sho rcturnod after an nbsenco of several weeks, crossing tho Potomao opposite Dumfries, and arrived nt tho camp of Col. (now senator) Wndo Hampton. Thence, escorted by ono of his oillcers, sho wns driven to headquarters head-quarters nt Contcrvlllc. 1 can sco hor now as sho alighted from tho ambulnnco on tho piazza ol tho llttlo brown farm homo a young but matronly-looking lady, handsome, too, with glowing dark eyes that looked look-ed as if they had iiroworks in them. Sho was dressed in black, nnd her ouly baggago was a small liand-sachol. Sho was also accompanied by a shaggy skyo-terrior, a muro armful that mado a soldior who hadn't soon a protty woman for a month of Sundays ou-vious. ou-vious. Whnt occurred within tho doors that closed upon her was related to mo-afterward mo-afterward by Gun. Jordan, then nnd subsequently Beauregard's adjutant-gonoral. adjutant-gonoral. Beauregard was, of course, uolightod to seo her, and with a woman's volubility sho told him moro in two hours than he could rcmombor in two months. Tho verbal part of the iuterview bclug euded, ho Inquired for her papers, tho record of her trip, and tho dispatches he expected from confederates in tho north. "Why, general, I didn't daro to bring them on my person," sho replied, re-plied, with a peculiar smile. "It was unsafe, you know; I might havo been captured" and, thcrofuro, I havo told you all I know by word of mouth." Beauregard could not conceal his vexation, and the moro ho showed it tho moro tho llttlo woman scorned to enjoy It. Finally, nftor teasing him to hor heart's contont, sho said with affected demuruncss: "Gouoral, havo you a pair of scissors or a knlfo? I'd liko to uso it for a minute." Beauregard hnndod hor the ink-eraser. ink-eraser. "Come here. Dot," sho called to tho dog, aud, taking him In hor lap, oontintwd: "I told you, general, it was not safe to carry important paper on my person, and I havo not dono so: In fact, I havo been suspected and soarched, but a woman's wit Is sometimes some-times superior to man's judgmont. "Seel" sho said, with coaucttlsh nonchalance non-chalance as sho turned the llttlo animal ani-mal on his back, nnd deliberately proceeded pro-ceeded to rip him open, "Iiore aro tlm dispatcliosl'' As sho spoke sho hold in one hniitl tho hido ot hor sk)e-tcrrlor, nnd with thu othursmilingly extended a package of closely written tlssuo paper; whllo dancing about tho floor was a pretty "black-nnd-tan," happy at his dollvory from another dog's olothos. Tho deception was perfect, tho mission mis-sion a success, Beauregard was on-nblod on-nblod to anticipate McCIollan's movements, move-ments, and tho oharmlng spy not only received a handsoino reward, but was Iod to tho altar after tho wnr ns tho brido of tho young officer who sung her praises at Beauregard's breakfast table. Mrs. Mason nftorwnrd engaged in a number ot perilous enterprises, visiting visit-ing tho north sovcrnl times, and once ruunlng tho blockado from Charleston with tho lato Capt. "Bob" Lockwood, so long Idontlliod with tho Now York & Charleston lino of steamers. Whothor sho is still nllvo I d not kuow. |