What did Mr. Radley (Arthur's father) do for a living?

In Chapter 1, Scout is describing the Radley family. She mentions that the Radleys were not social people and that the community of Maycomb rarely saw them outside. Scout says that they did not go to church and the only time they saw Mr. Radley was when he walked to the grocery store in the morning. Scout comments that she never knew what Mr. Radley did for a living, and her older brother told her...

In Chapter 1, Scout is describing the Radley family. She mentions that the Radleys were not social people and that the community of Maycomb rarely saw them outside. Scout says that they did not go to church and the only time they saw Mr. Radley was when he walked to the grocery store in the morning. Scout comments that she never knew what Mr. Radley did for a living, and her older brother told her that Mr. Radley "bought cotton" (Lee 11). The term "bought cotton" is essentially a polite way of saying that a person does not have a job. Whether Mr. Radley is actually employed or not is never specifically stated. Later on in Chapter 1, Scout says that Mr. Radley's son, Nathan, moved back from Pensacola after his father passed away to take care of Boo. Scout mentions that Nathan acts exactly like Mr. Radley and Jem told her that he "bought cotton" just like his father (Lee 15). According to Jem, both Mr. Radley and his son, Nathan, do nothing for a living and are not employed.