Chapter 24 Summary

When he is young, Jimmy Chatham spends a lot of time with his grandfather, Athey, helping with farming and learning natural ways of living. When he grows big enough to help his father, Jimmy is much more interested in helping Athey with his old farming methods, a source of irritation to his father. Jimmy picks up the slack as Athey's health begins to fail.

Mattie asks Jayber to come to the house to shave Athey, who has been having small strokes. Jayber begins to spend time at Athey's house, often with Mattie and her children present. Athey's illness, in that way, brings joy to Jayber, who, to a degree, becomes part of the family. Athey gets progressively weaker, and one day dies as Jayber and Della hold his hands. After that, Jayber does not go to Della's house again, but sees her at...