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           Alovelierladythanourmotherneverlived,shesaid,anditwasheartbreakingthewayAtticusFinchletherchildrenrunwild.Ididnotrememberourmother,butJemdid—hewouldtellmeabouthersometimes—andhewentlividwhenMrs.Duboseshotusthismessage.

           Jem,havingsurvivedBooRadley,amaddogandotherterrors,hadconcludedthatitwascowardlytostopatMissRachel’sfrontstepsandwait,andhaddecreedthatwemustrunasfarasthepostofficecornereacheveningtomeetAtticuscomingfromwork.CountlesseveningsAtticuswouldfindJemfuriousatsomethingMrs.Dubosehadsaidwhenwewentby.

           "Easydoesit,son,"Atticuswouldsay."She’sanoldladyandshe’sill.Youjustholdyourheadhighandbeagentleman.Whatevershesaystoyou,it’syourjobnottolethermakeyoumad."

           Jemwouldsayshemustnotbeverysick,sheholleredso.Whenthethreeofuscametoherhouse,Atticuswouldsweepoffhishat,wavegallantlytoherandsay,"Goodevening,Mrs.Dubose!Youlooklikeapicturethisevening."

           IneverheardAtticussaylikeapictureofwhat.Hewouldtellherthecourthousenews,andwouldsayhehopedwithallhisheartshe’dhaveagooddaytomorrow.Hewouldreturnhishattohishead,swingmetohisshouldersinherverypresence,andwewouldgohomeinthetwilight.ItwastimeslikethesewhenIthoughtmyfather,whohatedgunsandhadneverbeentoanywars,wasthebravestmanwhoeverlived.

           ThedayafterJem’stwelfthbirthdayhismoneywasburninguphispockets,soweheadedfortownintheearlyafternoon.Jemthoughthehadenoughtobuyaminiaturesteamengineforhimselfandatwirlingbatonforme.