When he gave us our air-rifles Atticus wouldnt teach us to shoot. Uncle Jack instructed us in the rudiments thereof; he said Atticus wasnt interested in guns. Atticus said to Jem one day, Id rather you shot at tin cans in the back yard, but I know youll go after birds. Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit em, but remember its a sin to kill a mockingbird.

That was the only time I ever heard Atticus say it was a sin to do something, and I asked Miss Maudie about it.

Your fathers right, she said. Mockingbirds dont do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They dont eat up peoples gardens, dont nest in corncribs, they dont do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. Thats why its a sin to kill a mockingbird.

Miss Maudie, this is an old neighborhood, aint it?

Been here longer than the town.

Nome, I mean the folks on our street are all old. Jem and mes the only children around here. Mrs. Dubose is close on to a hundred and Miss Rachels old and so are you and Atticus.

I dont call fifty very old, said Miss Maudie tartly. Not being wheeled around yet, am I? Neithers your father. But I must say Providence was kind enough to burn down that old mausoleum of mine, Im too old to keep it upmaybe youre right, Jean Louise, this is a settled neighborhood. Youve never been around young folks much, have you?

Yessum, at school.

I mean young grown-ups. Youre lucky, you know. You and Jem have the benefit of your fathers age. If your father was thirty youd find life quite different.

I sure would. Atticus cant do anything. . . .

Youd be surprised, said Miss Maudie. Theres life in him yet.

What can he do?

Well, he can make somebodys will so airtight cant anybody meddle with it.

Shoot . . .

Well, did you know hes the best checker-player in this town? Why, down at the Landing when we were coming up, Atticus Finch could beat everybody on both sides of the river.

Good Lord, Miss Maudie, Jem and me beat him all the time.

Its about time you found out its because he lets you. Did you know he can play a Jews Harp?

This modest accomplishment served to make me even more ashamed of him.

Well . . . she said.

Well what, Miss Maudie?

Well nothing. Nothingit seems with all that youd be proud of him. Cant everybody play a Jews Harp. Now keep out of the way of the carpenters. Youd better go home, Ill be in my azaleas and cant watch you. Plank might hit you.

I went to the back yard and found Jem plugging away at a tin can, which seemed stupid with all the bluejays around. I returned to the front yard and busied myself for two hours erecting a complicated breastworks at the side of the porch, consisting of a tire, an orange crate, the laundry hamper, the porch chairs, and a small U.S. flag Jem gave me from a popcorn box.

When Atticus came home to dinner he found me crouched down aiming across the street. What are you shooting at?

Miss Maudies rear end.

Atticus turned and saw my generous target bending over her bushes. He pushed his hat to the back of his head and crossed the street. Maudie, he called, I thought Id better warn you. Youre in considerable peril.

Miss Maudie straightened up and looked toward me. She said, Atticus, you are a devil from hell.

When Atticus returned he told me to break camp. Dont you ever let me catch you pointing that gun at anybody again, he said.

I wished my father was a devil from hell. I sounded out Calpurnia on the subject. Mr. Finch? Why, he can do lots of things.

Like what? I asked.

Calpurnia scratched her head. Well, I dont rightly know, she said.

Jem underlined it when he asked Atticus if he was going out for the Methodists and Atticus said hed break his neck if he did, he was just too old for that sort of thing. The Methodists were trying to pay off their church mortgage, and had challenged the Baptists to a game of touch football. Everybody in towns father was playing, it seemed, except Atticus. Jem said he didnt even want to go, but he was unable to resist football in any form, and he stood gloomily on the sidelines with Atticus and me watching Cecil Jacobs father make touchdowns for the Baptists.