Mrs. Dubose's Monologue

The following Monday Scout and I walk to Mrs.Dubose with Ivanhoe in my hand I knocked on the door feeling queasy. “Mrs. Dubose” I called. Jessie open the door for Scout and I. “Is that you Jem Finch?” She said. You got your sister with you. I don’t know-” Let ‘em both in, Jessie,” said Mrs. Dubose. Jessie took use the the room and then it came to us.
There was an odor that I have met many time but couldn’t tell what it was from it was the smell of death. When we walked in the room there was a brass bed in the corner and Mrs. Dubose in it. When Scout and I got our chair I felt sorry for a moment but then thought of all the thing Mrs. Dubose said about Atticus. There was a marble-topped washstand by her bed; on it were a glass with a teaspoon
in it. A red ear syringe, a box of absorbent cotton, and a steel alarm clock standing on three tiny legs.
“ So you brought that dirty little sister of your, did you?” was her greeting.
“ My sister ain’t dirty and I ain’t scared of you.” hoping she would believe it. Thing that she was going to say something back, but all she said was “You may commence reading Jeremy.” I sat down in a cane-bottom chair and open Ivanhoe hoping that Scout would read with me. “ Come closer,” said Mrs. Dubose. “Come to the side of the bed.” We moved our chair forward. I was so scared the was the nearest I have ever been to Mrs.Dubose one of the things I want to do the most is move back. She look horrible. Her face was the colors of a dirty pillowcase, and the corner of her mouth glistened with saliva. I tried not to look at her than I had
to. I reopen Ivanhoe and begin read. I started to notice that Scout was trying to keep up with me I tried to slow down but she just couldn’t keep up. The book start to have bigger words that I didn’t know, I would try to skip it, but Mrs.Dubose would catch me and tell me to spell out the word. I start to have least correction later in the book. Later on Scout tap me and Mrs.Dubose was laying on her back with the quilts chin with only her head and shoulder were visible. Her head moved slowly from side to side. I started to read again. From time to time I would get a glimpse at her mouth would be wide open. Sometimes she would say “Pt” like some viscous substance about to boil. “Are you alright?” I asked. She seemed to not hear me. The alarm clock clock went off and scared us stiff. Jessie sent us home because it was time for Mrs.Dubose to take her medicine.
When Atticus came home he had gifts for Scout and I. Scout had gotten two yellow pencil and I had gotten an football magazine. “Did she frighten you?” asked Atticus. “No sir but she so nasty . She has fits or somethin’. She spits a lot.” I said. She can’t help that. When people are sick they don’t look nice sometimes. “She scared me,” Scout said. They next afternoon at Mrs.Dubose was the same as the first and everything became a pattern. Mrs.Dubose would hound me for a while on her favorite subjects, her camellias and my father’s nigger-loving propensities; she would grow increasingly silent, they go away from us. The alarm clock would ring, Jessie would shoo us out, and the rest of the day was ours. One sunny afternoon I heard Scout and Atticus talking about being a “nigger-lover.” One afternoon a month later I was excited I didn’t have to go to the Dubose house any more today was my last day. Atticus want to come with me to the Dubose house. Atticus, Scout and I walked to the Dubose house when we got there Mrs.Dubose was laying in her bed stiff.
We walk closer to the bed an Mrs. Dubose saw us she gave us a big smile. That was the first time that I ever saw her smile. “Do you know what time it is Atticus?” She said. Exactly fourteen minutes past five. That alarm clock is set for five-thirty. I read until the alarm clock went off on our way home Atticus put his hand on my shoulder. Atticus said “I want you to keep reading the book to her for only a week longer.” “I only had a month to read to her that not was not fair” It’s only for a week you’ll be okay.” The last day has come. When Mrs.Dubose said, “That’ll do,”. Atticus said he was going to the Dubose house for a while . We had not seen Mrs. Dubose for over a month. Hours later Atticus came back home and sat down with Scout and I and told us that Mrs.Dubose had past
away.
“ Are you okay?” asked Atticus.” “ I’m okay just sleepy” I said. Mrs. Dubose left you a gift Jem. When I open the gift it was a flower that I had cut off her bush. “ Old hell devil. Old hell devil!” I screamed. “Calm down Jem.” said Atticus. Son I made you go to Mrs.Dubose because I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It’s when you know you’re licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no what. You rarely win, but sometime you do. Mrs.Dubose won all ninety-eight pounds of her. According to her views, she died beholden to nothing and nobody. She was the bravest person I ever knew. I picked up the candy the candy box and threw it in the fire. I picked up the camellia, I was looking at the petal try to think of the reasons why Mrs.Dubose would give me such a gift.