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A Man for the Ages
A Man for the Ages

Chapter VII · Chapter 7

Chapter 7 of A Man for the Ages is here in full — 241 sentences across 49 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Irving Bacheller • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for A Man for the Ages
Context Illustration Reading 1/48 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
IN WHICH MR.
ELIPHALET BIGGS GETS ACQUAINTED WITH BIM KELSO AND HER FATHER.
In a musty old ledger kept by James Rutledge, the owner of Rutledge's Tavern, in the year 1832, is an entry under the date of January 31st which reads as follows:
"Arrived this day Eliphalet Biggs of 26 Olive Street, St. Louis, with one horse."
Young Mr. Biggs remained at Rutledge's Tavern for three weeks with his arm in a sling under the eye of the good doctor.
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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 Man for the Ages

Chapter VII · Chapter 7

Chapter 7 of A Man for the Ages is here in full — 241 sentences across 49 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/48 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
IN WHICH MR.
/ɪn wɪtʃ ˈmɪstər/
Line 2
ELIPHALET BIGGS GETS ACQUAINTED WITH BIM KELSO AND HER FATHER.
Line 3
In a musty old ledger kept by James Rutledge, the owner of Rutledge's Tavern, in the year 1832, is an entry under the date of January 31st which reads as follows:
Line 4
"Arrived this day Eliphalet Biggs of 26 Olive Street, St. Louis, with one horse."
Line 5
Young Mr. Biggs remained at Rutledge's Tavern for three weeks with his arm in a sling under the eye of the good doctor.

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.

entry noun US /ˈentri/

an item inserted in a written record

From this reading “In a musty old ledger kept by James Rutledge, the owner of Rutledge's Tavern, in the year 1832, is an entry under the date of January 31st which reads as follows:”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ledger noun US /ˈledʒər/

a record in which commercial accounts are recorded

From this reading “In a musty old ledger kept by James Rutledge, the owner of Rutledge's Tavern, in the year 1832, is an entry under the date of January 31st which reads as follows:”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
musty adjective US /ˈmʌsti/

covered with or smelling of mold

From this reading “In a musty old ledger kept by James Rutledge, the owner of Rutledge's Tavern, in the year 1832, is an entry under the date of January 31st which reads as follows:”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Olive adjective US /ˈɑːləv/

of a yellow-green color similar to that of an unripe olive

From this reading “"Arrived this day Eliphalet Biggs of 26 Olive Street, St. Louis, with one horse."”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
reads noun US /riːdz/

plural of “read” — something that is read

From this reading “In a musty old ledger kept by James Rutledge, the owner of Rutledge's Tavern, in the year 1832, is an entry under the date of January 31st which reads as follows:”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Rutledge noun US /ˈrʌtlɪdʒ/

United States jurist and second chief justice of the United States Supreme Court; he was appointed by George Washington and briefly served as chief justice but was ultimately rejected by the United States Senate (1739-1800)

From this reading “In a musty old ledger kept by James Rutledge, the owner of Rutledge's Tavern, in the year 1832, is an entry under the date of January 31st which reads as follows:”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sling verb US /slɪŋ/

hurl as if with a sling

From this reading “Young Mr. Biggs remained at Rutledge's Tavern for three weeks with his arm in a sling under the eye of the good doctor.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Tavern noun US /ˈtævərn/

a building with a bar that is licensed to sell alcoholic drinks

From this reading “In a musty old ledger kept by James Rutledge, the owner of Rutledge's Tavern, in the year 1832, is an entry under the date of January 31st which reads as follows:”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

All words in this reading · 60

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.

1832

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

From this reading In a musty old ledger kept by James Rutledge, the owner of Rutledge's Tavern, in the year 1832, is an entry under the date of January 31st which reads as follows:

Pending verification
26

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

From this reading "Arrived this day Eliphalet Biggs of 26 Olive Street, St. Louis, with one horse."

Pending verification
31st

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

From this reading In a musty old ledger kept by James Rutledge, the owner of Rutledge's Tavern, in the year 1832, is an entry under the date of January 31st which reads as follows:

Pending verification
adeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading In a musty old ledger kept by James Rutledge, the owner of Rutledge's Tavern, in the year 1832, is an entry under the date of January 31st which reads as follows:

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ACQUAINTEDadjectiveUS /əˈkweɪntɪd/

having fair knowledge of

From this reading ELIPHALET BIGGS GETS ACQUAINTED WITH BIM KELSO AND HER FATHER.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading In a musty old ledger kept by James Rutledge, the owner of Rutledge's Tavern, in the year 1832, is an entry under the date of January 31st which reads as follows:

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ANDconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading ELIPHALET BIGGS GETS ACQUAINTED WITH BIM KELSO AND HER FATHER.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
armnounUS /ɑːrm/

a human limb; technically the part of the superior limb between the shoulder and the elbow but commonly used to refer to the whole superior limb

From this reading Young Mr. Biggs remained at Rutledge's Tavern for three weeks with his arm in a sling under the eye of the good doctor.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ArrivedverbUS /ərˈaɪvd/

past form of “arrive” — reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress

From this reading "Arrived this day Eliphalet Biggs of 26 Olive Street, St. Louis, with one horse."

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading In a musty old ledger kept by James Rutledge, the owner of Rutledge's Tavern, in the year 1832, is an entry under the date of January 31st which reads as follows:

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Young Mr. Biggs remained at Rutledge's Tavern for three weeks with his arm in a sling under the eye of the good doctor.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
BIGGS

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

From this reading ELIPHALET BIGGS GETS ACQUAINTED WITH BIM KELSO AND HER FATHER.

Pending verification
BIM

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

From this reading ELIPHALET BIGGS GETS ACQUAINTED WITH BIM KELSO AND HER FATHER.

Pending verification
byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading In a musty old ledger kept by James Rutledge, the owner of Rutledge's Tavern, in the year 1832, is an entry under the date of January 31st which reads as follows:

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
datenounUS /deɪt/

the specified day of the month

From this reading In a musty old ledger kept by James Rutledge, the owner of Rutledge's Tavern, in the year 1832, is an entry under the date of January 31st which reads as follows:

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading "Arrived this day Eliphalet Biggs of 26 Olive Street, St. Louis, with one horse."

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
doctornounUS /ˈdɑːktər/

a licensed medical practitioner

From this reading Young Mr. Biggs remained at Rutledge's Tavern for three weeks with his arm in a sling under the eye of the good doctor.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ELIPHALET

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

From this reading ELIPHALET BIGGS GETS ACQUAINTED WITH BIM KELSO AND HER FATHER.

Pending verification
entrynounUS /ˈentri/

an item inserted in a written record

From this reading In a musty old ledger kept by James Rutledge, the owner of Rutledge's Tavern, in the year 1832, is an entry under the date of January 31st which reads as follows:

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
eyenounUS /aɪ/

the organ of sight

From this reading Young Mr. Biggs remained at Rutledge's Tavern for three weeks with his arm in a sling under the eye of the good doctor.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
FATHERnounUS /ˈfɑːðər/

a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)

From this reading ELIPHALET BIGGS GETS ACQUAINTED WITH BIM KELSO AND HER FATHER.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
followsverbUS /ˈfɑːloʊz/

third-person singular of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after

From this reading In a musty old ledger kept by James Rutledge, the owner of Rutledge's Tavern, in the year 1832, is an entry under the date of January 31st which reads as follows:

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Young Mr. Biggs remained at Rutledge's Tavern for three weeks with his arm in a sling under the eye of the good doctor.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
GETSnounUS /ɡets/

plural of “get” — a return on a shot that seemed impossible to reach and would normally have resulted in a point for the opponent

From this reading ELIPHALET BIGGS GETS ACQUAINTED WITH BIM KELSO AND HER FATHER.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified

From this reading Young Mr. Biggs remained at Rutledge's Tavern for three weeks with his arm in a sling under the eye of the good doctor.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
HERdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading ELIPHALET BIGGS GETS ACQUAINTED WITH BIM KELSO AND HER FATHER.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Young Mr. Biggs remained at Rutledge's Tavern for three weeks with his arm in a sling under the eye of the good doctor.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
horsenounUS /hɔːrs/

solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times

From this reading "Arrived this day Eliphalet Biggs of 26 Olive Street, St. Louis, with one horse."

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
INprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading IN WHICH MR.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading In a musty old ledger kept by James Rutledge, the owner of Rutledge's Tavern, in the year 1832, is an entry under the date of January 31st which reads as follows:

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
JamesnounUS /dʒeɪmz/

a Stuart king of Scotland who married a daughter of Henry VII; when England and France went to war in 1513 he invaded England and died in defeat at Flodden (1473-1513)

From this reading In a musty old ledger kept by James Rutledge, the owner of Rutledge's Tavern, in the year 1832, is an entry under the date of January 31st which reads as follows:

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
JanuarynounUS /ˈdʒænjuːeri/

the first month of the year; begins 10 days after the winter solstice

From this reading In a musty old ledger kept by James Rutledge, the owner of Rutledge's Tavern, in the year 1832, is an entry under the date of January 31st which reads as follows:

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
KELSO

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

From this reading ELIPHALET BIGGS GETS ACQUAINTED WITH BIM KELSO AND HER FATHER.

Pending verification
keptadjectiveUS /kept/

(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded

From this reading In a musty old ledger kept by James Rutledge, the owner of Rutledge's Tavern, in the year 1832, is an entry under the date of January 31st which reads as follows:

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ledgernounUS /ˈledʒər/

a record in which commercial accounts are recorded

From this reading In a musty old ledger kept by James Rutledge, the owner of Rutledge's Tavern, in the year 1832, is an entry under the date of January 31st which reads as follows:

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
LouisnounUS /ˈluːɪs/

United States prizefighter who was world heavyweight champion for 12 years (1914-1981)

From this reading "Arrived this day Eliphalet Biggs of 26 Olive Street, St. Louis, with one horse."

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
MRnounUS /ˈmɪstər/

a form of address for a man

From this reading IN WHICH MR.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
mustyadjectiveUS /ˈmʌsti/

covered with or smelling of mold

From this reading In a musty old ledger kept by James Rutledge, the owner of Rutledge's Tavern, in the year 1832, is an entry under the date of January 31st which reads as follows:

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading In a musty old ledger kept by James Rutledge, the owner of Rutledge's Tavern, in the year 1832, is an entry under the date of January 31st which reads as follows:

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading In a musty old ledger kept by James Rutledge, the owner of Rutledge's Tavern, in the year 1832, is an entry under the date of January 31st which reads as follows:

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
OliveadjectiveUS /ˈɑːləv/

of a yellow-green color similar to that of an unripe olive

From this reading "Arrived this day Eliphalet Biggs of 26 Olive Street, St. Louis, with one horse."

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading "Arrived this day Eliphalet Biggs of 26 Olive Street, St. Louis, with one horse."

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ownernounUS /ˈoʊnər/

(law) someone who owns (is legal possessor of) a business

From this reading In a musty old ledger kept by James Rutledge, the owner of Rutledge's Tavern, in the year 1832, is an entry under the date of January 31st which reads as follows:

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
readsnounUS /riːdz/

plural of “read” — something that is read

From this reading In a musty old ledger kept by James Rutledge, the owner of Rutledge's Tavern, in the year 1832, is an entry under the date of January 31st which reads as follows:

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
remainedverbUS /rɪˈmeɪnd/

past form of “remain” — stay the same; remain in a certain state

From this reading Young Mr. Biggs remained at Rutledge's Tavern for three weeks with his arm in a sling under the eye of the good doctor.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
RutledgenounUS /ˈrʌtlɪdʒ/

United States jurist and second chief justice of the United States Supreme Court; he was appointed by George Washington and briefly served as chief justice but was ultimately rejected by the United States Senate (1739-1800)

From this reading In a musty old ledger kept by James Rutledge, the owner of Rutledge's Tavern, in the year 1832, is an entry under the date of January 31st which reads as follows:

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Rutledge's

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

From this reading In a musty old ledger kept by James Rutledge, the owner of Rutledge's Tavern, in the year 1832, is an entry under the date of January 31st which reads as follows:

Pending verification
slingverbUS /slɪŋ/

hurl as if with a sling

From this reading Young Mr. Biggs remained at Rutledge's Tavern for three weeks with his arm in a sling under the eye of the good doctor.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
St

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

From this reading "Arrived this day Eliphalet Biggs of 26 Olive Street, St. Louis, with one horse."

Pending verification
StreetnounUS /striːt/

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

From this reading "Arrived this day Eliphalet Biggs of 26 Olive Street, St. Louis, with one horse."

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
TavernnounUS /ˈtævərn/

a building with a bar that is licensed to sell alcoholic drinks

From this reading In a musty old ledger kept by James Rutledge, the owner of Rutledge's Tavern, in the year 1832, is an entry under the date of January 31st which reads as follows:

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading In a musty old ledger kept by James Rutledge, the owner of Rutledge's Tavern, in the year 1832, is an entry under the date of January 31st which reads as follows:

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading "Arrived this day Eliphalet Biggs of 26 Olive Street, St. Louis, with one horse."

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
threenounUS /θriː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one

From this reading Young Mr. Biggs remained at Rutledge's Tavern for three weeks with his arm in a sling under the eye of the good doctor.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading In a musty old ledger kept by James Rutledge, the owner of Rutledge's Tavern, in the year 1832, is an entry under the date of January 31st which reads as follows:

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
weeksnounUS /wiːks/

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

From this reading Young Mr. Biggs remained at Rutledge's Tavern for three weeks with his arm in a sling under the eye of the good doctor.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
WHICHpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading IN WHICH MR.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
WITHprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading ELIPHALET BIGGS GETS ACQUAINTED WITH BIM KELSO AND HER FATHER.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
yearnounUS /jɪr/

a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days

From this reading In a musty old ledger kept by James Rutledge, the owner of Rutledge's Tavern, in the year 1832, is an entry under the date of January 31st which reads as follows:

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
YoungadjectiveUS /jʌŋ/

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading Young Mr. Biggs remained at Rutledge's Tavern for three weeks with his arm in a sling under the eye of the good doctor.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

Chapter 7 of A Man for the Ages by Irving Bacheller holds 241 sentences, grouped into 49 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 7 of A Man for the Ages contain?

Chapter 7 holds 241 sentences of A Man for the Ages, unabridged, divided into 49 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 7 of A Man for the Ages by Irving Bacheller exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 241 sentences, grouped into 49 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 7 of A Man for the Ages?

Work through the 49 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 49 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 7 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 7 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 Man for the Ages

Common questions about reading A Man for the Ages by Irving Bacheller on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of A Man for the Ages?

Yes. All 7186 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #17237 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of A Man for the Ages is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #17237, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does A Man for the Ages take to read?

About 598 minutes of reading across 1438 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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Vocabulary met early in A Man for the Ages

Words and structures a reader meets early in A Man for the Ages, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Describes
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Man for the Ages; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Journey
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Man for the Ages; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Samson
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Man for the Ages; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Henry
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Man for the Ages; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.