TKAM post #4

Journal #4 - Chapters 10-12 - Perspective:Jem

After Christmas me and scout could not wait to try our air rifles out. We were going to start shooting at birds but Then Atticus came over and said we could shoot all the blue jays we wanted but its a sin to kill a mockingbird. Atticus never said any thing was a sin so I thought it was strange but I had decided not to shoot mockingbirds. One day me and scout were walking around the Radley house looking for any thing to shoot with our air rifles then all of the sudden something got my attention. I had no idea of the great peril that could happen. scout started to tell me something but I told her real fast to be quiet she asked why I said don't Contradict me. Once I got a better view of it I noticed that I was looking at Tim Johnson Mr Johnson dog. I went back and told Calpurnia when she heard us she went crazy and started telling everyone in the neighborhood that it was a mad dog. I tried to tell her it was just sick and looking for a place to rest before but she was cantankerous she was acting like I was inaudible . I knew what to do Atticus was in the front yard with a gun. Mr Tate was trying to give the gun to atticus he said that he was the only one who could make that shot that close o the radley place Mr Tate thought he miss and hit the radley place. Atticus refused at first for a couple seconds but then he eventually took the gun and opens one round on the supposed mad dog it was a perfect hit. I was shocked to see atticus hit it that well. I started talking to atticus later and discovered that he use to be the best and deadliest shooter in maycomb. But I can see why he didn't want us to know that. We asked question after question but he didn't respond immediately but final a answer came out Ol One Shot was his nickname. He got that nick name because it only would take him one shot to hit any target or thing. He sopped shooting because he said god didn't want his animals shot at and he didn't want to be membered the own as the best shooter he would rather be membered as something else that was good.

On my birthday I had money I wanted to spend me and scout had to walk past miss Dubose's house. She was on her front porch when we walked buy she started saying insults to us about atticus and called him a nigger-lover. We went to town and bought some things and scout a baton. On they way back when going by miss Dubose's house I lost my ember and cut all of her ugly hedges down then I broke scouts baton but I regretted that later. Atticus made me apologize to the lady even though he and I both new I didn't mean it. When I told her I tried to make it inconspicuous that didn't mean it. I had to also try and re grow her plants. Over the next month I did other things for her then one day atticus told me that she had died.