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           ImumbledthatIwassorryandretiredmeditatinguponmycrime.Ineverdeliberatelylearnedtoread,butsomehowIhadbeenwallowingillicitlyinthedailypapers.Inthelonghoursofchurch—wasitthenIlearned?Icouldnotremembernotbeingabletoreadhymns.NowthatIwascompelledtothinkaboutit,readingwassomethingthatjustcametome,aslearningtofastentheseatofmyunionsuitwithoutlookingaround,orachievingtwobowsfromasnarlofshoelaces.IcouldnotrememberwhenthelinesaboveAtticus’smovingfingerseparatedintowords,butIhadstaredatthemalltheeveningsinmymemory,listeningtothenewsoftheday,BillstoBeEnactedintoLaws,thediariesofLorenzoDow—anythingAtticushappenedtobereadingwhenIcrawledintohislapeverynight.UntilIfearedIwouldloseit,Ineverlovedtoread.Onedoesnotlovebreathing.

           IknewIhadannoyedMissCaroline,soIletwellenoughaloneandstaredoutthewindowuntilrecesswhenJemcutmefromthecoveyoffirst-gradersintheschoolyard.HeaskedhowIwasgettingalong.Itoldhim.

           "IfIdidn’thavetostayI’dleave.Jem,thatdamnladysaysAtticus’sbeenteachingmetoreadandforhimtostopit—"

           "Don’tworry,Scout,"Jemcomfortedme."OurteachersaysMissCaroline’sintroducinganewwayofteaching.Shelearnedaboutitincollege.It’llbeinallthegradessoon.Youdon’thavetolearnmuchoutofbooksthatway—it’slikeifyouwantalearnaboutcows,yougomilkone,see?"

           "YeahJem,butIdon’twantastudycows,I—"

           "Sureyoudo.Youhaftaknowaboutcows,they’reabigpartoflifeinMaycombCounty."

           IcontentedmyselfwithaskingJemifhe’dlosthismind.