Complete classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
A Breath of Prairie and other stories
A Breath of Prairie and other stories

Chapter IX · Chapter 9

Chapter 9 of A Breath of Prairie and other stories is here in full — 30 sentences across 6 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for A Breath of Prairie and other stories
Context Illustration Reading 1/6 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Ordinarily Sandford is sane--undeniably so.
Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.
No dog chained beside his kennel is more invariably present, no caged songster more incontestably anchored.
If you need his services, you have but to seek his address between the hours mentioned.
You may do so with the same assurance of finding him on duty that you would feel, if you left a jug of water out of doors over night in a blizzard, that the jug, as a jug, would be no longer of value in the morning.
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

A Breath of Prairie and other stories

Chapter IX · Chapter 9

Chapter 9 of A Breath of Prairie and other stories is here in full — 30 sentences across 6 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/6 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Ordinarily Sandford is sane--undeniably so.
Line 2
Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.
Line 3
No dog chained beside his kennel is more invariably present, no caged songster more incontestably anchored.
Line 4
If you need his services, you have but to seek his address between the hours mentioned.
/ɪf juː niːd hɪz ˈsɜːrvəsəz juː hæv bʌt tuː siːk hɪz ˈædres bɪˈtwiːn ðə ˈaʊərz ˈmenʃənd/
Line 5
You may do so with the same assurance of finding him on duty that you would feel, if you left a jug of water out of doors over night in a blizzard, that the jug, as a jug, would be no longer of value in the morning.
/juː meɪ duː soʊ wɪð ðə seɪm əˈʃʊrəns ʌv ˈfaɪndɪŋ hɪm ɑːn ˈduːti ðæt juː wʊd fiːl ɪf juː left ə dʒʌɡ ʌv ˈwɔːtər aʊt ʌv dɔːrz ˈoʊvər naɪt ɪn ə ˈblɪzərd ðæt ðə dʒʌɡ æz ə dʒʌɡ wʊd biː noʊ ˈlɔːŋɡər ʌv ˈvæljuː ɪn ðə ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/

Learner Dictionary

These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.

Barring noun US /ˈbɑːrɪŋ/

the act of excluding someone by a negative vote or veto

From this reading “Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.”

blizzard noun US /ˈblɪzərd/

a storm with widespread snowfall accompanied by strong winds

From this reading “You may do so with the same assurance of finding him on duty that you would feel, if you left a jug of water out of doors over night in a blizzard, that the jug, as a jug, would be no longer of value in the morning.”

caged verb US /keɪdʒd/

past form of “cage” — confine in a cage

From this reading “No dog chained beside his kennel is more invariably present, no caged songster more incontestably anchored.”

kennel noun US /ˈkenəl/

outbuilding that serves as a shelter for a dog

From this reading “No dog chained beside his kennel is more invariably present, no caged songster more incontestably anchored.”

loop verb US /luːp/

move in loops

From this reading “Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.”

omitting verb US /oʊˈmɪtɪŋ/

inflected form of “omit” — prevent from being included or considered or accepted

From this reading “Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.”

Thirteenth adjective US /ˈθɜːr.tiːnθ/

Constituting number thirteen in a sequence.

From this reading “Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.”

undeniably adverb US /ˌʌndɪˈnaɪəbli/

to an undeniable degree or in an undeniable manner

From this reading “Ordinarily Sandford is sane--undeniably so.”

All words in this reading · 105

Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.

Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.

addressverbUS /ˈædres/

speak to

From this reading If you need his services, you have but to seek his address between the hours mentioned.

againadverbUS /əˈɡen/

anew

From this reading Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.

anchoredverbUS /ˈæŋkərd/

past form of “anchor” — fix firmly and stably

From this reading No dog chained beside his kennel is more invariably present, no caged songster more incontestably anchored.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.

anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading You may do so with the same assurance of finding him on duty that you would feel, if you left a jug of water out of doors over night in a blizzard, that the jug, as a jug, would be no longer of value in the morning.

assurancenounUS /əˈʃʊrəns/

freedom from doubt; belief in yourself and your abilities

From this reading You may do so with the same assurance of finding him on duty that you would feel, if you left a jug of water out of doors over night in a blizzard, that the jug, as a jug, would be no longer of value in the morning.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.

AvenuenounUS /ˈævənuː/

a line of approach

From this reading Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.

BarringnounUS /ˈbɑːrɪŋ/

the act of excluding someone by a negative vote or veto

From this reading Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.

besideprepositionUS /bɪˈsaɪd/

next to; at the side of

From this reading No dog chained beside his kennel is more invariably present, no caged songster more incontestably anchored.

betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading If you need his services, you have but to seek his address between the hours mentioned.

blizzardnounUS /ˈblɪzərd/

a storm with widespread snowfall accompanied by strong winds

From this reading You may do so with the same assurance of finding him on duty that you would feel, if you left a jug of water out of doors over night in a blizzard, that the jug, as a jug, would be no longer of value in the morning.

boxnounUS /bɑːks/

a (usually rectangular) container; may have a lid

From this reading Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.

BuildingnounUS /ˈbɪldɪŋ/

a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place

From this reading Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading If you need his services, you have but to seek his address between the hours mentioned.

cagedverbUS /keɪdʒd/

past form of “cage” — confine in a cage

From this reading No dog chained beside his kennel is more invariably present, no caged songster more incontestably anchored.

chainedadjectiveUS /tʃeɪnd/

bound with chains

From this reading No dog chained beside his kennel is more invariably present, no caged songster more incontestably anchored.

cornernounUS /ˈkɔːrnər/

a place off to the side of an area

From this reading Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading You may do so with the same assurance of finding him on duty that you would feel, if you left a jug of water out of doors over night in a blizzard, that the jug, as a jug, would be no longer of value in the morning.

dognounUS /dɔːɡ/

a member of the genus Canis (probably descended from the common wolf) that has been domesticated by man since prehistoric times; occurs in many breeds

From this reading No dog chained beside his kennel is more invariably present, no caged songster more incontestably anchored.

doorsnounUS /dɔːrz/

plural of “door” — a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle

From this reading You may do so with the same assurance of finding him on duty that you would feel, if you left a jug of water out of doors over night in a blizzard, that the jug, as a jug, would be no longer of value in the morning.

dutynounUS /ˈduːti/

the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force

From this reading You may do so with the same assurance of finding him on duty that you would feel, if you left a jug of water out of doors over night in a blizzard, that the jug, as a jug, would be no longer of value in the morning.

elevatedadjectiveUS /ˈeləveɪtɪd/

raised above the ground

From this reading Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.

ExchangenounUS /ɪksˈtʃeɪndʒ/

chemical process in which one atom or ion or group changes places with another

From this reading Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.

feelverbUS /fiːl/

undergo an emotional sensation or be in a particular state of mind

From this reading You may do so with the same assurance of finding him on duty that you would feel, if you left a jug of water out of doors over night in a blizzard, that the jug, as a jug, would be no longer of value in the morning.

fifthnounUS /fɪfθ/

a quantity of liquor equal to one fifth of a United States gallon

From this reading Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.

fifty-oneadjective

being one more than fifty

From this reading Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.

findingnounUS /ˈfaɪndɪŋ/

the act of determining the properties of something, usually by research or calculation

From this reading You may do so with the same assurance of finding him on duty that you would feel, if you left a jug of water out of doors over night in a blizzard, that the jug, as a jug, would be no longer of value in the morning.

floornounUS /flɔːr/

the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)

From this reading Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.

foundverbUS /faʊnd/

set up or found

From this reading Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.

half-hournounUS /ˈhæfaʊər/

a half of an hour

From this reading Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading If you need his services, you have but to seek his address between the hours mentioned.

hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading You may do so with the same assurance of finding him on duty that you would feel, if you left a jug of water out of doors over night in a blizzard, that the jug, as a jug, would be no longer of value in the morning.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.

hoursnounUS /ˈaʊərz/

a period of time assigned for work

From this reading If you need his services, you have but to seek his address between the hours mentioned.

IfconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading If you need his services, you have but to seek his address between the hours mentioned.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.

incontestably

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading No dog chained beside his kennel is more invariably present, no caged songster more incontestably anchored.

invariablyadverbUS /ˌɪnˈveriəbli/

without variation or change, in every case

From this reading No dog chained beside his kennel is more invariably present, no caged songster more incontestably anchored.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading Ordinarily Sandford is sane--undeniably so.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.

jugnounUS /dʒʌɡ/

a large bottle with a narrow mouth

From this reading You may do so with the same assurance of finding him on duty that you would feel, if you left a jug of water out of doors over night in a blizzard, that the jug, as a jug, would be no longer of value in the morning.

kennelnounUS /ˈkenəl/

outbuilding that serves as a shelter for a dog

From this reading No dog chained beside his kennel is more invariably present, no caged songster more incontestably anchored.

leftnounUS /left/

location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east

From this reading You may do so with the same assurance of finding him on duty that you would feel, if you left a jug of water out of doors over night in a blizzard, that the jug, as a jug, would be no longer of value in the morning.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.

longeradverbUS /ˈlɔːŋɡər/

for more time

From this reading You may do so with the same assurance of finding him on duty that you would feel, if you left a jug of water out of doors over night in a blizzard, that the jug, as a jug, would be no longer of value in the morning.

loopverbUS /luːp/

move in loops

From this reading Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.

lunchverbUS /lʌntʃ/

take the midday meal

From this reading Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.

MainadjectiveUS /meɪn/

most important element

From this reading Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.

makesnounUS /meɪks/

plural of “make” — a recognizable kind

From this reading Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.

maymodal verbUS /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.

mentionedverbUS /ˈmenʃənd/

past form of “mention” — make reference to

From this reading If you need his services, you have but to seek his address between the hours mentioned.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading No dog chained beside his kennel is more invariably present, no caged songster more incontestably anchored.

morningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.

neednounUS /niːd/

a condition requiring relief

From this reading If you need his services, you have but to seek his address between the hours mentioned.

nightnounUS /naɪt/

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.

ninenounUS /naɪn/

the cardinal number that is the sum of eight and one

From this reading Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.

NodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading No dog chained beside his kennel is more invariably present, no caged songster more incontestably anchored.

noonnounUS /nuːn/

the middle of the day

From this reading Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.

o'clockadverbUS /əˈklɑːk/

according to the clock

From this reading Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.

officenounUS /ˈɔːfɪs/

place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed

From this reading Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.

omittingverbUS /oʊˈmɪtɪŋ/

inflected form of “omit” — prevent from being included or considered or accepted

From this reading Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.

OrdinarilyadverbUS /ˌɔːrdəˈnerəli/

under normal conditions

From this reading Ordinarily Sandford is sane--undeniably so.

otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading You may do so with the same assurance of finding him on duty that you would feel, if you left a jug of water out of doors over night in a blizzard, that the jug, as a jug, would be no longer of value in the morning.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading You may do so with the same assurance of finding him on duty that you would feel, if you left a jug of water out of doors over night in a blizzard, that the jug, as a jug, would be no longer of value in the morning.

presentverbUS /ˈprezənt/

give an exhibition of to an interested audience

From this reading No dog chained beside his kennel is more invariably present, no caged songster more incontestably anchored.

sameadjectiveUS /seɪm/

Identical; not different.

From this reading You may do so with the same assurance of finding him on duty that you would feel, if you left a jug of water out of doors over night in a blizzard, that the jug, as a jug, would be no longer of value in the morning.

Sandford

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Ordinarily Sandford is sane--undeniably so.

saneadjectiveUS /seɪn/

mentally healthy; free from mental disorder

From this reading Ordinarily Sandford is sane--undeniably so.

scantadjectiveUS /skænt/

less than the correct or legal or full amount often deliberately so

From this reading Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.

seekverbUS /siːk/

try to get or reach

From this reading If you need his services, you have but to seek his address between the hours mentioned.

servicesnounUS /ˈsɜːrvəsəz/

performance of duties or provision of space and equipment helpful to others

From this reading If you need his services, you have but to seek his address between the hours mentioned.

seventhadjectiveUS /ˈsevənθ/

coming next after the sixth and just before the eighth in position

From this reading Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.

sixnounUS /sɪks/

the cardinal number that is the sum of five and one

From this reading Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading Ordinarily Sandford is sane--undeniably so.

songsternoun

a composer of words or music for popular songs

From this reading No dog chained beside his kennel is more invariably present, no caged songster more incontestably anchored.

StreetnounUS /striːt/

a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings

From this reading Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading You may do so with the same assurance of finding him on duty that you would feel, if you left a jug of water out of doors over night in a blizzard, that the jug, as a jug, would be no longer of value in the morning.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.

ThirteenthadjectiveUS /ˈθɜːr.tiːnθ/

Constituting number thirteen in a sequence.

From this reading Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.

tightadjectiveUS /taɪt/

closely constrained or constricted or constricting

From this reading Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.

toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading If you need his services, you have but to seek his address between the hours mentioned.

undeniablyadverbUS /ˌʌndɪˈnaɪəbli/

to an undeniable degree or in an undeniable manner

From this reading Ordinarily Sandford is sane--undeniably so.

untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.

valuenounUS /ˈvæljuː/

a numerical quantity measured or assigned or computed

From this reading You may do so with the same assurance of finding him on duty that you would feel, if you left a jug of water out of doors over night in a blizzard, that the jug, as a jug, would be no longer of value in the morning.

waternounUS /ˈwɔːtər/

binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent

From this reading You may do so with the same assurance of finding him on duty that you would feel, if you left a jug of water out of doors over night in a blizzard, that the jug, as a jug, would be no longer of value in the morning.

weeknounUS /wiːk/

any period of seven consecutive days

From this reading Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.

weeksnounUS /wiːks/

plural of “week” — any period of seven consecutive days

From this reading Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading You may do so with the same assurance of finding him on duty that you would feel, if you left a jug of water out of doors over night in a blizzard, that the jug, as a jug, would be no longer of value in the morning.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading You may do so with the same assurance of finding him on duty that you would feel, if you left a jug of water out of doors over night in a blizzard, that the jug, as a jug, would be no longer of value in the morning.

yearnounUS /jɪr/

a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days

From this reading Barring the seventh, upon any other day of the week, fifty-one weeks in the year, from nine o'clock in the morning until six at night--omitting again a scant half-hour at noon for lunch--he may be found in his tight little box of an office on the fifth floor of the Exchange Building, at the corner of Main Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the elevated makes its loop.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading If you need his services, you have but to seek his address between the hours mentioned.

Chapter 9 of A Breath of Prairie and other stories by Will Lillibridge holds 30 sentences, grouped into 6 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 9 of A Breath of Prairie and other stories contain?

Chapter 9 holds 30 sentences of A Breath of Prairie and other stories, unabridged, divided into 6 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 9 of A Breath of Prairie and other stories by Will Lillibridge exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 30 sentences, grouped into 6 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.

How do I study chapter 9 of A Breath of Prairie and other stories?

Work through the 6 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 6 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 9 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 9 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

Questions about reading A Breath of Prairie and other stories

Common questions about reading A Breath of Prairie and other stories by Will Lillibridge on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of A Breath of Prairie and other stories?

Yes. All 4741 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #29245 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of A Breath of Prairie and other stories is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #29245, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does A Breath of Prairie and other stories take to read?

About 395 minutes of reading across 949 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read A Breath of Prairie and other stories section by section

How to work through A Breath of Prairie and other stories section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 19 chapters of A Breath of Prairie and other stories to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in A Breath of Prairie and other stories

Words and structures a reader meets early in A Breath of Prairie and other stories, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Dominant
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Breath of Prairie and other stories; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Dollar
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Breath of Prairie and other stories; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Illustrated
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Breath of Prairie and other stories; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Color
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Breath of Prairie and other stories; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.