Rondeau Digs Up the Missing Letter

The first three weeks of Julia's stay in New Orleans were, as we have
learned, spent at the house of Dr. Lacey. His mother was present, and
although she readily acknowledged the uncommon beauty of her fair visitor,
yet from the first she disliked her.

The servants, too, as if adopting the opinion of their mistress, felt and
expressed among themselves an aversion to the "evil-eyed lady," as they
termed Julia. Aunt Dilsey, in particular, soon had her own reason for
disliking her. The second day after Julia's arrival, as she was strolling
through the yard, she encountered Jackson, a bright little fellow, three
years of age, and Aunt Dilsey's only son. Jack, as he was usually called,
was amusing himself by seeing how far he could spit! Unfortunately he spit
too far, and hit Miss Julia's pink muslin. In an instant her white,
slender fingers were buried in his wool. His screams soon brought Aunt
Dilsey to the rescue. Upon learning the dreadful crime of which Jack had
been guilty, she snatched him from Julia's grasp, and hurried him into the
house without a word. From that time Dilsey was Julia's sworn enemy, and
Jack was taught to make up faces at her, whenever he could do so without
being discovered.

The servants, however, were too well trained to manifest any open
disrespect, for they knew she was "marster's guest," and as such was
entitled to every possible attention.