Chapter 29

 

     Heck Tate came into the room and told us Bob Ewell was officially dead. Mr. Tate observed Jem's injuries while I had to remember what happened and tell the story to them. I don't think Aunt Alexandra could handle it because she left the room while we had the discussion. As I began to tell the story, Atticus comforted me. Mr. Tate kept asking many questions so he could understand every single detail. While telling the story, I finally realized how serious this situation was.

 

     When I got to the point in the story where I saw the forth shadow, Mr. Tate looked confused. I began to point to the man in the corner which is where Boo Radley was located. Atticus stopped me because he always said pointing is rude. He had been in that same spot for a while now, I don't think he had moved. Seeing Boo amazed me. After all the stories I had heard, he was right there in front of me. He wasn't what I imagined, but he was still interesting. Once I realized it was Boo who saved us, I learned he is capable of violence, but as long as he is doing what is right. To me, Boo symbolizes a mockingbird. He's harmless.





 

Chapter 28

 

     On our journey to the school, odd things kept happening and it scared me. It was darker then usual, my costume kept making me fall while walking, and it was hard to tell where we were. At one point, Jem said he thought we were by the big oak tree because it got colder. The wind began to grow stronger as we walked and there was no moon to be found. I kept seeing strange shadows on the Radley house which frightened me even more. Someone leaped at us when we were almost to the school. It ended up being Cecil Jabobs and he was successful at scaring me and Jem.

 



     As Jem and I made our way home, I had realized I forgot my shoes at the school. I told Jem and he said I will have to wait till tomorrow, but tomorrow's a Sunday. He said a janitor could let me in and we weren't going back tonight because the lights were turned off. After he said that, he seemed to be confused or thinking really hard. Then, Jem grabbed my costume and I told him he didn't have to hold on to me, but he told me to be quiet because he heard something. Jem kept hearing something behind us as we continued, but we thought it was just Cecil again. Before we knew it, a black figure was charging at us. I got tangled in some chicken wire, so Jem picked me up and ran. Once we were almost to the road, Jem put me down and the figured grabbed Jem. I heard Jem scream and I ran in that direction. I kept calling Jem's name and there was no response, but suddenly I noticed four people were under the tree. Atticus found us, but Jem was unconscious so we called the doctor.



Chapter 27

 

      Last year, the kids of Maycomb decided to play a trick on Misses Tutti and Frutti Barber around Halloween. They are sisters and they are both deaf, but Miss Tutti denied it. Their real names are Sarah and Frances. The children of Maycomb hid all the furniture inside the barber shop. They believed it would be a funny joke, and they all pitched in. The furniture was put in the cellar and the next morning Heck Tate was called. The neighbors had heard a truck pull up at the shop during the night, but thought nothing of it. They never caught the kids who did it, but this Halloween things have changed.

 

 

 

 

     This Halloween, the ladies of Maycomb arranged a pageant that took place in the high school auditorium. Whoever had the best costume would win 25 cents. Jem and I weren't very excited about this new idea. Since Jem was maturing, he felt he was to old for Halloween so he decided he wasn't going and he wouldn't take me there. Mrs. Merriweather had created a the title for the pageant which was Maycomb County: Ad Astra Per Aspera. My role in the play was a ham which would symbolize how Maycomb is known for its agriculture. I practiced my part in front of Atticus and Calpurnia. The night of the pageant finally came and Jem and I began our journey to the school.





Chapter 24

     Today Aunt Alexandra had the missionary circle's convention at our house. Mrs. Merriweather didn't seem too compassionate when the topic of Tom Robinson came up. After listening in on the meeting, they seemed to all be hypocrites. They talked about a missionary, James Grimes Everett, teaching Christianity to a tribe called the Mrunas. They believe what he is going is great, but when it comes to the situations in Maycomb that involve African Americans, they are racist. Throughout the meeting, they tried to talk to me about how to be a lady. I assume they are trying to teach me how to act more mature and begin to grow up. All in all, I might take what they said into consideration.

 

     Atticus arrived at home with news of Tom Robinson's death this evening. Tom tried to escape by climbing over the fence to escape. As a result, the guards shot him and Tom had died. This was devastating news to all of us. Before Tom's escape, he stated "I'm tired of white men's chances" and then risked his own. Atticus asked Calpurnia to join him while he broke the news to Tom's wife, Helen Robinson. The group of women that were present in the house didn't see to care about what happened to Tom, but Aunt Alexandra was upset once Atticus had left. She told us she might not like the decisions Atticus makes, but he's her brother and she supports him.

 



Chapter 12

     As the days go by, Jem's beginning to become more difficult to be around. He's more moody and doesn't like to spend as much time with me. Calpurnia says he's just maturing. The other night he told me to start acting like a girl which made me burst into tears. All Atticus had to say was I should try not to disturb and leave him to do what boys do on his own. Now that Dill's back, they play together and leave me out once again. As a result, i started to spend more time with Calpurnia in the kitchen which makes her happy. I just need to be patient with Jem for now.

 

     Jem and I joined Calpurnia at church this Sunday while Atticus left us. It was a new and interesting experience. She bathed us and put us in nice outfits because she wanted to show the people in her community that she does a good job of taking care of us.Calpurnia's church is called First Purchase African M.E. Church which was located just outside of southern town limits. A lady named Lula gave Calpurnia a hard time for bringing two white children to their church, but we were told to ignore her and that we were welcomed there. We also met Calpurnia's son Zeebo, he's the trash man at the church. The church was built different then ours, they didn't have hymn books, and the expressed themselves more freely. I enjoyed our experience there. 

Chapter 10

 

    Atticus is nearly fifty and he doesn't do much with me and Jem. Sometimes he will play football with Jem, but once Jem starts to tackle him, he says he is too old. When we gave us our air-rifles, Uncle Jack taught us how to use them, because Atticus wouldn't. We were told to only shoot blue jays, or tin cans, but never mocking birds. If you killed a mocking bird, it was a sin. Mocking birds only bring people joy, at least that's what Atticus said. When they sing, it makes the people of Maycomb happy and the birds do no harm. In my opinion, they are almost a symbol of the people in the town who are innocent and gentle.

     Tim Johnson is the dog of Tom Robinson. He's almost like the pet of Maycomb and he's a liver-colored bird dog. Jem and I noticed him walking in a funny way around town so we told Calpurnia. Once we showed her, she ran us home and called Atticus' office. Next, she called Eula May and asked her to warn anyone with a phone about the dog, but the Radley's didn't have a phone. Calpurnia ordered us to stay in the house while she ran to the Radley's so they were warned too. Atticus arrived home along with Maycombs sheriff, Mr. Heck Tate. As we watched Atticus and Heck through the screen door, Heck handed the riffle to Atticus and said "Mr. Finch, this is a one-shot job." Atticus ran into the street as Tim came down the road and he shot Tim. He didn't even know what hit him. 





Chapter 8

      I looked outside my window today and I saw white stuff from the sky. I thought the world was ending, but Atticus explained to me that it was stuff called snow. Eula May, Maycombs leading telephone operator, called and they even cancelled school. This was the first time it snowed in Maycomb since 1885. Jem asked Atticus how to make a snowman, but Atticus didn't have any idea. Calpurnia corrected Atticus when he said there wasn't enough snow to build one because the snow began to stick! We borrowed snow from Miss Maudie and made a snowman who looked like Mr. Avery.

 

     Atticus woke me and Jem before it was even morning. He told me to put on a robe, shoes, and socks. Once I was finally awake, I realized there was something wrong without Atticus answering my questions. Then, he finally told me it was about Miss Maudie. We opened the door and I saw the flames bursting out of Miss Maudie's dinning room windows. Atticus ordered us to stay out of the way and stand in front of the Radley's house. The men of Maycomb tried to move as much furniture out of Miss Maudie's house. Some how a blanket appeared on the backs of me and Jem, and I believe one of the Radley's did it. Overall, Miss Maudie isn't too upset, she is happy there will be more room to garden.