Journal #- Chapters 10-12 - Perspective: Scout

Since Atticus was older than most fathers, he couldn’t do much. For example, when he gave us our air rifles he wouldn’t teach us how to shoot. Uncle Jack had to show us how. But, he told us that we could shoot all the blue jays we wanted, but we cannot shoot a mocking bird because it is a sin to kill a mockingbird. All they do for us is sing the hearts out. I think that Atticus was relating a mocking to Boo Radley.

Atticus was at work and Cal was in the kitchen when Jem and I saw Old Tim Johnson walking as slow as a snail in our direction. Something was wrong with him. He was shaking and his mouth kept opening and closing. We ran back to the house and told Cal about it. She ran outside and yelled at us to hurry and get back in the house. I didn’t want to contradict her so I listened. Then she called Miss Eula May, and told her to call everyone on out street and tell them there was a mad dog. Since the Radley’s didn’t have a phone she ran to their house and started banging on the front door. No one answered, but we figured they would stay in their house. Then she called Atticus and he said he was coming home. He arrived in a truck with Mr. Tate. The sheriff. Mr. Tate got his shotgun, but he said he couldn’t shoot Tim. So, Atticus to the gun, focused, and shot old Tim Johnson and killed him. The poor old dog had rabies. Later we found out that Atticus used to be a shooter, and his nickname was ‘One Shot Finch’.

I hated walking past Mrs. Dubose’s house. She would always say mean things to us. Even if I Said Hi she would still yell at me. I thought that she was very peril. One day Jem and I were walking by and she started saying things about Atticus. How he was a nigger-lover and things like that. I could tell Jem was getting real mad, so I made him start walking towards town again. When we were in town he bought me a baton and him a toy train. Once we were walking back when we passed Mrs. Dubose house he took my baton and cut all her flowers off her bush. When Atticus got home he made Jem go apologize. Mrs. Dubose said she wanted him to read to her 6 days a week for a month. I went with him every day. About a month after his month of reading ending Atticus was called to Mrs. Dubose house. When he got back he said that she had died, but she had given Jem a perfect flower off of her plants. I saw Jem choke on air, but the sound was inaudible. Apparently she was addicted to morphine and she said she wanted to die not addicted to it. She succeeded.

Atticus would be gone somewhere for a week. It came Sunday and time for church, but Cal didn’t think it was a good idea for us to go without Atticus or him saying the teacher would be there. So, she was going to take us to her church. She made us look the nicest possible. When we got there one girl whose name was Luna was yelling at Cal for bringing us, and we should be at the white church. I wasn’t going to be cantankerous. Part of me wanted to be inconspicuous. But once she was gone everyone was very welcoming. They said they were glad to have us. But they sure had an odd way of doing church. One man would say the words and everyone would repeat them. I kind of liked it. After everyone had given their change, the reverend had counted and said there wasn’t enough. They needed ten dollars to give to Tom Robinson’s wife. Nobody could leave until the money was collected. I thought it was really nice.

Once we got back home, I asked Cal what Tom Robinson was accused of. She said that Mr. Ewell accused him of raping his girl. I didn’t know what rape was and she said ask Atticus, but I could tell it wasn’t good.