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Chapter 1
Atticus’sofficeinthecourthousecontainedlittlemorethanahatrack,aspittoon,acheckerboardandanunsulliedCodeofAlabama. HisfirsttwoclientswerethelasttwopersonshangedintheMaycombCountyjail. Atticushadurgedthemtoacceptthestate’sgenerosityinallowingthemtopleadGuiltytosecond-degreemurderandescapewiththeirlives, buttheywereHaverfords,inMaycombCountyanamesynonymouswithjackass. TheHaverfordshaddispatchedMaycomb’sleadingblacksmithinamisunderstandingarisingfromtheallegedwrongfuldetentionofamare,wereimprudentenoughtodoitinthepresenceofthreewitnesses,andinsistedthatthe-son-of-a-bitch-had-it-coming-to-himwasagoodenoughdefenseforanybody. TheypersistedinpleadingNotGuiltytofirst-degreemurder,sotherewasnothingmuchAtticuscoulddoforhisclientsexceptbepresentattheirdeparture,anoccasionthatwasprobablythebeginningofmyfather’sprofounddistasteforthepracticeofcriminallaw.
DuringhisfirstfiveyearsinMaycomb,Atticuspracticedeconomymorethananything; forseveralyearsthereafterheinvestedhisearningsinhisbrother’seducation. JohnHaleFinchwastenyearsyoungerthanmyfather,andchosetostudymedicineatatimewhencottonwasnotworthgrowing; butaftergettingUncleJackstarted,Atticusderivedareasonableincomefromthelaw. HelikedMaycomb,hewasMaycombCountybornandbred; heknewhispeople,theyknewhim,andbecauseofSimonFinch’sindustry,Atticuswasrelatedbybloodormarriagetonearlyeveryfamilyinthetown.
Maycombwasanoldtown,butitwasatiredoldtownwhenIfirstknewit. Inrainyweatherthestreetsturnedtoredslop; grassgrewonthesidewalks,thecourthousesaggedinthesquare.
