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Chapter 1
Hewasmiddle-agedthen,shewasfifteenyearshisjunior. Jemwastheproductoftheirfirstyearofmarriage; fouryearslaterIwasborn,andtwoyearslaterourmotherdiedfromasuddenheartattack. Theysaiditraninherfamily. Ididnotmissher,butIthinkJemdid. Herememberedherclearly,andsometimesinthemiddleofagamehewouldsighatlength,thengooffandplaybyhimselfbehindthecar-house. Whenhewaslikethat,Iknewbetterthantobotherhim.
WhenIwasalmostsixandJemwasnearlyten,oursummertimeboundaries(withincallingdistanceofCalpurnia) wereMrs.HenryLafayetteDubose’shousetwodoorstothenorthofus,andtheRadleyPlacethreedoorstothesouth. Wewerenevertemptedtobreakthem. TheRadleyPlacewasinhabitedbyanunknownentitythemeredescriptionofwhomwasenoughtomakeusbehavefordaysonend; Mrs.Dubosewasplainhell.
ThatwasthesummerDillcametous.
Earlyonemorningaswewerebeginningourday’splayinthebackyard,JemandIheardsomethingnextdoorinMissRachelHaverford’scollardpatch. Wewenttothewirefencetoseeiftherewasapuppy—MissRachel’sratterrierwasexpecting—insteadwefoundsomeonesittinglookingatus. Sittingdown,hewasn’tmuchhigherthanthecollards. Westaredathimuntilhespoke:
"Hey."
"Heyyourself,"saidJempleasantly.
"I’mCharlesBakerHarris,"hesaid. "Icanread."
