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Chapter 5
MissMaudiehatedherhouse:timespentindoorswastimewasted.Shewasawidow,achameleonladywhoworkedinherflowerbedsinanoldstrawhatandmen’scoveralls,butafterherfiveo’clockbathshewouldappearontheporchandreignoverthestreetinmagisterialbeauty.
ShelovedeverythingthatgrewinGod’searth,eventheweeds.Withoneexception.IfshefoundabladeofnutgrassinheryarditwasliketheSecondBattleoftheMarne:sheswoopeddownuponitwithatintubandsubjectedittoblastsfrombeneathwithapoisonoussubstanceshesaidwassopowerfulit’dkillusallifwedidn’tstandoutoftheway.
"Whycan’tyoujustpullitup?"Iasked,afterwitnessingaprolongedcampaignagainstabladenotthreeincheshigh.
"Pullitup,child,pullitup?"Shepickedupthelimpsproutandsqueezedherthumbupitstinystalk.Microscopicgrainsoozedout."Why,onesprigofnutgrasscanruinawholeyard.Lookhere.WhenitcomesfallthisdriesupandthewindblowsitalloverMaycombCounty!"MissMaudie’sfacelikenedsuchanoccurrenceuntoanOldTestamentpestilence.
HerspeechwascrispforaMaycombCountyinhabitant.Shecalledusbyallournames,andwhenshegrinnedsherevealedtwominutegoldprongsclippedtohereyeteeth.WhenIadmiredthemandhopedIwouldhavesomeeventually,shesaid,"Lookhere."Withaclickofhertongueshethrustoutherbridgework,agestureofcordialitythatcementedourfriendship.
MissMaudie’sbenevolenceextendedtoJemandDill,whenevertheypausedintheirpursuits:wereapedthebenefitsofatalentMissMaudiehadhithertokepthiddenfromus.Shemadethebestcakesintheneighborhood.