Dolphus Raymond is actually proud of his reputation as
being one of Maycomb's leading eccentrics. Rumor has it that the paper bag he carries
with a bottle inside actually disguises the whiskey that he drinks, and Dolphus does
nothing to discourage folks' opinions about him. He actually weaves about deliberately
to further strenghthen the validity of the rumor. However, when he meets up with Dill
and Scout outside the courthouse, he decides to share his little secret with his
innocent young friends. When Dolphus offers Dill a sip from the bottle to "settle your
stomach," he seems to take "delight in corrupting a child." Scout cautions
him.
"Dill,
you watch out now," I
warned.
But Dill quickly
discovered the real truth.
Dill released the straws and grinned. "Scout,
it's nothing but
Coca-Cola."
Dolphus made them
promise not to reveal his secret, and when Scout asked him why he performed this
"sinful" act to create a less-than-honest impression, Dolphus answered
that
"I try to give 'em a reason, you see... they
could never, never understand that I live like I do because that's the way I want to
live."
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