Journal #3- Chapters 8-9 (Scout)

Journal #3- Chapters 8-9 (Scout)

Well today, today was different. Since 1885, Maycomb hasn't seen a flurry of snow until today. I didn't even know what the slush in my front yard was until Jem and Atticus told me. Mr. Avery has always believed that the seasons changed whenever the children disobey their parents so you could practically envision him going on and on about how naughty the children have been. Mrs. Radley died that winter but her death caused nearly a ripple. Atticus said she died of natural causes but Jem pressured me to ask him and plus, I was honestly curious.

“Ask him,” Jem whispered.
“You ask him, you’re the oldest.”
“That’s why you oughta ask him”
I finally got the courage to ask him and said, “Atticus, did you see Mr. Arthur?” He looked sternly around his newspaper at me. “I did not,” he said. Atticus was still worried about Jem and I being nosey about the Radleys ever since that one night.

Also today, Jem and I built a snowman. We went over to Ms. Maudies house and brought some of her snow back to our house in baskets, which was 73% dirt and slush. Jem had this idea that we were going to build something called a snowman. I didn’t know what Jem was doing but I just followed his lead. Jem scooped up an armful of dirt, patted it into a mount on which he added another load, and another until he had constructed a torso. The amount of dirt that ours snowman had made it look as though it was all black.

“Jem, I ain’t ever heard of a nigger snowman,” I said.
“He won’t be black long,” he grunted.

Jem pulled off some peachtree switches from the back yard, bent them, and then covered them in snow. I thought it looked like Miss Stephenie Crawford with her hands on her hips. “Fat in the middle and little-bitty arms,” I said. Jem sloshed over the mud and added more dirt. Jem then went around and added a big stomach below the waistline. Both Jem and I thought our snowman looked a lot like Mr. Avery. Jem scooped up some white snow and began to cover the cover the back of Mr. Avery. Slowly, the snowman turned white. Using bits of wood for the eyes, mouth, and buttons, Jem succeeded in making Mr. Avery looking cross.

“It’s lovely Jem,” I said. “Looks almost like he’d talk to you.” I couldn’t wait until atticus came home for dinner so that he could see our snowman. He said that it looked lovely but that we had to cover him up just in case Mr. Avery saw. I wouldn’t want him coming up to Jem and me and giving us a big talk about how disobeying we are. Right now, my feet feel as though they are going to freeze off and Atticus and Calpurnia have already put more coal into our stoves to keep us warm. As soon as I felt as if I had finally fallen asleep, I heard, “Baby get up.” Was it morning already? Atticus was holding out my bathrobe and coat. “Put your robe on first,” he said. What time was it? It still looked pitch black. “Hurry hun. Here’re your shoes and socks.” Stupidly, I put them on. Finally I asked, “is it morning?”

“No. It’s a little past one. Hurry now.” What could possibly be so important that they had to wake me at one in the morning? “Whats the matter?” I asked. I knew when there was trouble in our street. Soft muffled scurrying sounds filled me with helpless dread. “Whose is it?”

“Miss Maudie’s, hon,” said Atticus gently. At the front door, I saw fire spewing from Miss Maudie’s house across the street.
“Its gone ain’t it?” reckoned Jem. Atticus told Jem and I to go down by the Radley Place and keep out of trouble. Jem was ordered to take are of me and was in charge or making sure we were both kept out of harms way.

“That book…” I said.
“What?”
“That Tom Swift book, it ain’t mine. Its Dill’s…”
“Don worry, Scout, it ain’t time to worry yet,” said Jem. I thought that those words would comfort me until I saw smoke arising off of our house. Not once did I let go of his coat. There were three fire trucks that came by but finally all that was left of the fire was smoke and Miss Maudies house in ashes. I feel so bad for her. I would be so devestated if our house burtned down. I really want to talk to her to see if she's alright but Atticus always looked at us shaking his head. Maybe it wasn't the right moment. When Jem and I met back up with Atticus the first thing he pointed out was the blanket I had wraped around my shoulders.

"What did I tell you about stayin' put?" I just stood there trying to find an explination for the newly fitted blanket around my arms, but I couldn't. He turned to Jem who was just as confussed as I was. "Well I guess everyone came out tonight." We were standing in frong of the Radley Pla- Boo?! Could he have come out and put that blanket around me while I wasn't looking? Damn. If only I had turned around. Oh well, I know he'll have to come sooner or later.