Learn English through classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
Diddie, Dumps, and Tot
Diddie, Dumps, and Tot

Chapter XVII · Chapter 17

Chapter 17 of Diddie, Dumps, and Tot is here in full — 39 sentences across 8 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Diddie, Dumps, and Tot
Context Illustration Reading 1/7 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
WHAT BECAME OF THEM Well, of course, I can’t tell you _all_ that happened to these little girls.
I have tried to give you some idea of how they lived in their Mississippi home, and I hope you have been amused and entertained; and now as Diddie said about _her_ book, I’ve got to wind up,” and tell you what became of them.
The family lived happily on the plantation until the war broke out in 1861.
Then Major Waldron clasped his wife to his heart, kissed his daughters, shook hands with his faithful slaves, and went as a soldier to Virginia; and he is sleeping now on the slope of Malvern Hill, where he Nobly died for Dixie.”
The old house was burned during the war, and on the old plantation where that happy home once stood there are now three or four chimneys and an old tumbled-down gin-house.
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.

Diddie, Dumps, and Tot

Chapter XVII · Chapter 17

Chapter 17 of Diddie, Dumps, and Tot is here in full — 39 sentences across 8 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/7 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
WHAT BECAME OF THEM Well, of course, I can’t tell you _all_ that happened to these little girls.
Line 2
I have tried to give you some idea of how they lived in their Mississippi home, and I hope you have been amused and entertained; and now asDiddiesaid about _her_ book, I’ve got towind up,” and tell you what became of them.
Line 3
The family lived happily on the plantation until the war broke out in 1861.
Line 4
Then Major Waldron clasped his wife to his heart, kissed his daughters, shook hands with his faithful slaves, and went as a soldier to Virginia; and he is sleeping now on the slope of Malvern Hill, where heNobly died for Dixie.”
Line 5
The old house was burned during the war, and on the old plantation where that happy home once stood there are now three or four chimneys and an old tumbled-down gin-house.

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.

chimneys noun US /ˈtʃɪmniz/

plural of “chimney” — a vertical flue that provides a path through which smoke from a fire is carried away through the wall or roof of a building

From this reading “The old house was burned during the war, and on the old plantation where that happy home once stood there are now three or four chimneys and an old tumbled-down gin-house.”

Dixie noun US /ˈdɪksi/

the southern states that seceded from the United States in 1861

From this reading “Then Major Waldron clasped his wife to his heart, kissed his daughters, shook hands with his faithful slaves, and went as a soldier to Virginia; and he is sleeping now on the slope of Malvern Hill, where he “Nobly died for Dixie.””

entertained adjective US /ˌentərˈteɪnd/

pleasantly occupied

From this reading “I have tried to give you some idea of how they lived in their Mississippi home, and I hope you have been amused and entertained; and now as “Diddie” said about _her_ book, I’ve got to “wind up,” and tell you what became of them.”

happily adverb US /ˈhæpəli/

in a joyous manner

From this reading “The family lived happily on the plantation until the war broke out in 1861.”

Mississippi noun US /ˌmɪsɪˈsɪpi/

a major North American river and the chief river of the United States; rises in northern Minnesota and flows southward into the Gulf of Mexico

From this reading “I have tried to give you some idea of how they lived in their Mississippi home, and I hope you have been amused and entertained; and now as “Diddie” said about _her_ book, I’ve got to “wind up,” and tell you what became of them.”

Nobly adverb US /ˈnɑːbli/

in a noble manner

From this reading “Then Major Waldron clasped his wife to his heart, kissed his daughters, shook hands with his faithful slaves, and went as a soldier to Virginia; and he is sleeping now on the slope of Malvern Hill, where he “Nobly died for Dixie.””

plantation noun US /ˌplænˈteɪʃən/

an estate where cash crops are grown on a large scale (especially in tropical areas)

From this reading “The family lived happily on the plantation until the war broke out in 1861.”

Virginia noun US /vərˈdʒɪnjə/

a state in the eastern United States; one of the original 13 colonies; one of the Confederate States in the American Civil War

From this reading “Then Major Waldron clasped his wife to his heart, kissed his daughters, shook hands with his faithful slaves, and went as a soldier to Virginia; and he is sleeping now on the slope of Malvern Hill, where he “Nobly died for Dixie.””

All words in this reading · 101

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.

1861

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

From this reading The family lived happily on the plantation until the war broke out in 1861.

adeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading Then Major Waldron clasped his wife to his heart, kissed his daughters, shook hands with his faithful slaves, and went as a soldier to Virginia; and he is sleeping now on the slope of Malvern Hill, where he “Nobly died for Dixie.”

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading I have tried to give you some idea of how they lived in their Mississippi home, and I hope you have been amused and entertained; and now as “Diddie” said about _her_ book, I’ve got to “wind up,” and tell you what became of them.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading WHAT BECAME OF THEM Well, of course, I can’t tell you _all_ that happened to these little girls.

amusedadjectiveUS /əˈmjuːzd/

pleasantly occupied

From this reading I have tried to give you some idea of how they lived in their Mississippi home, and I hope you have been amused and entertained; and now as “Diddie” said about _her_ book, I’ve got to “wind up,” and tell you what became of them.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading The old house was burned during the war, and on the old plantation where that happy home once stood there are now three or four chimneys and an old tumbled-down gin-house.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading I have tried to give you some idea of how they lived in their Mississippi home, and I hope you have been amused and entertained; and now as “Diddie” said about _her_ book, I’ve got to “wind up,” and tell you what became of them.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading The old house was burned during the war, and on the old plantation where that happy home once stood there are now three or four chimneys and an old tumbled-down gin-house.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading I have tried to give you some idea of how they lived in their Mississippi home, and I hope you have been amused and entertained; and now as “Diddie” said about _her_ book, I’ve got to “wind up,” and tell you what became of them.

BECAMEverbUS /bɪˈkeɪm/

inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition

From this reading WHAT BECAME OF THEM Well, of course, I can’t tell you _all_ that happened to these little girls.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading I have tried to give you some idea of how they lived in their Mississippi home, and I hope you have been amused and entertained; and now as “Diddie” said about _her_ book, I’ve got to “wind up,” and tell you what became of them.

booknounUS /bʊk/

a written work or composition that has been published (printed on pages bound together)

From this reading I have tried to give you some idea of how they lived in their Mississippi home, and I hope you have been amused and entertained; and now as “Diddie” said about _her_ book, I’ve got to “wind up,” and tell you what became of them.

brokeadjectiveUS /broʊk/

lacking funds

From this reading The family lived happily on the plantation until the war broke out in 1861.

burnedadjectiveUS /bɜːrnd/

treated by heating to a high temperature but below the melting or fusing point

From this reading The old house was burned during the war, and on the old plantation where that happy home once stood there are now three or four chimneys and an old tumbled-down gin-house.

can't

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

From this reading WHAT BECAME OF THEM Well, of course, I can’t tell you _all_ that happened to these little girls.

chimneysnounUS /ˈtʃɪmniz/

plural of “chimney” — a vertical flue that provides a path through which smoke from a fire is carried away through the wall or roof of a building

From this reading The old house was burned during the war, and on the old plantation where that happy home once stood there are now three or four chimneys and an old tumbled-down gin-house.

claspedverbUS /klæspt/

past form of “clasp” — hold firmly and tightly

From this reading Then Major Waldron clasped his wife to his heart, kissed his daughters, shook hands with his faithful slaves, and went as a soldier to Virginia; and he is sleeping now on the slope of Malvern Hill, where he “Nobly died for Dixie.”

coursenounUS /kɔːrs/

education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings

From this reading WHAT BECAME OF THEM Well, of course, I can’t tell you _all_ that happened to these little girls.

daughtersnounUS /ˈdɔːtərz/

plural of “daughter” — a female human offspring

From this reading Then Major Waldron clasped his wife to his heart, kissed his daughters, shook hands with his faithful slaves, and went as a soldier to Virginia; and he is sleeping now on the slope of Malvern Hill, where he “Nobly died for Dixie.”

Diddie

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

From this reading I have tried to give you some idea of how they lived in their Mississippi home, and I hope you have been amused and entertained; and now as “Diddie” said about _her_ book, I’ve got to “wind up,” and tell you what became of them.

diedverbUS /daɪd/

past form of “die” — pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life

From this reading Then Major Waldron clasped his wife to his heart, kissed his daughters, shook hands with his faithful slaves, and went as a soldier to Virginia; and he is sleeping now on the slope of Malvern Hill, where he “Nobly died for Dixie.”

DixienounUS /ˈdɪksi/

the southern states that seceded from the United States in 1861

From this reading Then Major Waldron clasped his wife to his heart, kissed his daughters, shook hands with his faithful slaves, and went as a soldier to Virginia; and he is sleeping now on the slope of Malvern Hill, where he “Nobly died for Dixie.”

duringprepositionUS /ˈdʊrɪŋ/

all through a period, or at some point within it

From this reading The old house was burned during the war, and on the old plantation where that happy home once stood there are now three or four chimneys and an old tumbled-down gin-house.

entertainedadjectiveUS /ˌentərˈteɪnd/

pleasantly occupied

From this reading I have tried to give you some idea of how they lived in their Mississippi home, and I hope you have been amused and entertained; and now as “Diddie” said about _her_ book, I’ve got to “wind up,” and tell you what became of them.

faithfuladjectiveUS /ˈfeɪθfəl/

steadfast in affection or allegiance

From this reading Then Major Waldron clasped his wife to his heart, kissed his daughters, shook hands with his faithful slaves, and went as a soldier to Virginia; and he is sleeping now on the slope of Malvern Hill, where he “Nobly died for Dixie.”

familynounUS /ˈfæməli/

a social unit living together

From this reading The family lived happily on the plantation until the war broke out in 1861.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Then Major Waldron clasped his wife to his heart, kissed his daughters, shook hands with his faithful slaves, and went as a soldier to Virginia; and he is sleeping now on the slope of Malvern Hill, where he “Nobly died for Dixie.”

fournounUS /fɔːr/

the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one

From this reading The old house was burned during the war, and on the old plantation where that happy home once stood there are now three or four chimneys and an old tumbled-down gin-house.

gin-house

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

From this reading The old house was burned during the war, and on the old plantation where that happy home once stood there are now three or four chimneys and an old tumbled-down gin-house.

girlsnounUS /ɡɜːrlz/

plural of “girl” — a young female

From this reading WHAT BECAME OF THEM Well, of course, I can’t tell you _all_ that happened to these little girls.

giveverbUS /ɡɪv/

cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading I have tried to give you some idea of how they lived in their Mississippi home, and I hope you have been amused and entertained; and now as “Diddie” said about _her_ book, I’ve got to “wind up,” and tell you what became of them.

gotverbUS /ɡɑːt/

inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading I have tried to give you some idea of how they lived in their Mississippi home, and I hope you have been amused and entertained; and now as “Diddie” said about _her_ book, I’ve got to “wind up,” and tell you what became of them.

handsnounUS /hændz/

(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child

From this reading Then Major Waldron clasped his wife to his heart, kissed his daughters, shook hands with his faithful slaves, and went as a soldier to Virginia; and he is sleeping now on the slope of Malvern Hill, where he “Nobly died for Dixie.”

happenedverbUS /ˈhæpənd/

past form of “happen” — come to pass

From this reading WHAT BECAME OF THEM Well, of course, I can’t tell you _all_ that happened to these little girls.

happilyadverbUS /ˈhæpəli/

in a joyous manner

From this reading The family lived happily on the plantation until the war broke out in 1861.

happyadjectiveUS /ˈhæpi/

enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure

From this reading The old house was burned during the war, and on the old plantation where that happy home once stood there are now three or four chimneys and an old tumbled-down gin-house.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading I have tried to give you some idea of how they lived in their Mississippi home, and I hope you have been amused and entertained; and now as “Diddie” said about _her_ book, I’ve got to “wind up,” and tell you what became of them.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Then Major Waldron clasped his wife to his heart, kissed his daughters, shook hands with his faithful slaves, and went as a soldier to Virginia; and he is sleeping now on the slope of Malvern Hill, where he “Nobly died for Dixie.”

heartnounUS /hɑːrt/

the locus of feelings and intuitions

From this reading Then Major Waldron clasped his wife to his heart, kissed his daughters, shook hands with his faithful slaves, and went as a soldier to Virginia; and he is sleeping now on the slope of Malvern Hill, where he “Nobly died for Dixie.”

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading I have tried to give you some idea of how they lived in their Mississippi home, and I hope you have been amused and entertained; and now as “Diddie” said about _her_ book, I’ve got to “wind up,” and tell you what became of them.

HillnounUS /hɪl/

a local and well-defined elevation of the land

From this reading Then Major Waldron clasped his wife to his heart, kissed his daughters, shook hands with his faithful slaves, and went as a soldier to Virginia; and he is sleeping now on the slope of Malvern Hill, where he “Nobly died for Dixie.”

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Then Major Waldron clasped his wife to his heart, kissed his daughters, shook hands with his faithful slaves, and went as a soldier to Virginia; and he is sleeping now on the slope of Malvern Hill, where he “Nobly died for Dixie.”

homenounUS /hoʊm/

where you live at a particular time

From this reading I have tried to give you some idea of how they lived in their Mississippi home, and I hope you have been amused and entertained; and now as “Diddie” said about _her_ book, I’ve got to “wind up,” and tell you what became of them.

hopenounUS /hoʊp/

a specific instance of feeling hopeful

From this reading I have tried to give you some idea of how they lived in their Mississippi home, and I hope you have been amused and entertained; and now as “Diddie” said about _her_ book, I’ve got to “wind up,” and tell you what became of them.

housenounUS /haʊs/

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading The old house was burned during the war, and on the old plantation where that happy home once stood there are now three or four chimneys and an old tumbled-down gin-house.

how

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

From this reading I have tried to give you some idea of how they lived in their Mississippi home, and I hope you have been amused and entertained; and now as “Diddie” said about _her_ book, I’ve got to “wind up,” and tell you what became of them.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading WHAT BECAME OF THEM Well, of course, I can’t tell you _all_ that happened to these little girls.

I've

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

From this reading I have tried to give you some idea of how they lived in their Mississippi home, and I hope you have been amused and entertained; and now as “Diddie” said about _her_ book, I’ve got to “wind up,” and tell you what became of them.

ideanounUS /aɪˈdiːə/

the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading I have tried to give you some idea of how they lived in their Mississippi home, and I hope you have been amused and entertained; and now as “Diddie” said about _her_ book, I’ve got to “wind up,” and tell you what became of them.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading I have tried to give you some idea of how they lived in their Mississippi home, and I hope you have been amused and entertained; and now as “Diddie” said about _her_ book, I’ve got to “wind up,” and tell you what became of them.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading Then Major Waldron clasped his wife to his heart, kissed his daughters, shook hands with his faithful slaves, and went as a soldier to Virginia; and he is sleeping now on the slope of Malvern Hill, where he “Nobly died for Dixie.”

kissedverbUS /kɪst/

past form of “kiss” — touch with the lips or press the lips (against someone's mouth or other body part) as an expression of love, greeting, etc.

From this reading Then Major Waldron clasped his wife to his heart, kissed his daughters, shook hands with his faithful slaves, and went as a soldier to Virginia; and he is sleeping now on the slope of Malvern Hill, where he “Nobly died for Dixie.”

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

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

From this reading WHAT BECAME OF THEM Well, of course, I can’t tell you _all_ that happened to these little girls.

livedverbUS /lɪvd/

past form of “live” — be an inhabitant of or reside in

From this reading I have tried to give you some idea of how they lived in their Mississippi home, and I hope you have been amused and entertained; and now as “Diddie” said about _her_ book, I’ve got to “wind up,” and tell you what became of them.

MajoradjectiveUS /ˈmeɪdʒər/

of greater importance or stature or rank

From this reading Then Major Waldron clasped his wife to his heart, kissed his daughters, shook hands with his faithful slaves, and went as a soldier to Virginia; and he is sleeping now on the slope of Malvern Hill, where he “Nobly died for Dixie.”

Malvern

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

From this reading Then Major Waldron clasped his wife to his heart, kissed his daughters, shook hands with his faithful slaves, and went as a soldier to Virginia; and he is sleeping now on the slope of Malvern Hill, where he “Nobly died for Dixie.”

MississippinounUS /ˌmɪsɪˈsɪpi/

a major North American river and the chief river of the United States; rises in northern Minnesota and flows southward into the Gulf of Mexico

From this reading I have tried to give you some idea of how they lived in their Mississippi home, and I hope you have been amused and entertained; and now as “Diddie” said about _her_ book, I’ve got to “wind up,” and tell you what became of them.

NoblyadverbUS /ˈnɑːbli/

in a noble manner

From this reading Then Major Waldron clasped his wife to his heart, kissed his daughters, shook hands with his faithful slaves, and went as a soldier to Virginia; and he is sleeping now on the slope of Malvern Hill, where he “Nobly died for Dixie.”

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading I have tried to give you some idea of how they lived in their Mississippi home, and I hope you have been amused and entertained; and now as “Diddie” said about _her_ book, I’ve got to “wind up,” and tell you what became of them.

OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading WHAT BECAME OF THEM Well, of course, I can’t tell you _all_ that happened to these little girls.

oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

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

From this reading The old house was burned during the war, and on the old plantation where that happy home once stood there are now three or four chimneys and an old tumbled-down gin-house.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading The family lived happily on the plantation until the war broke out in 1861.

onceadverbUS /wʌns/

on one occasion

From this reading The old house was burned during the war, and on the old plantation where that happy home once stood there are now three or four chimneys and an old tumbled-down gin-house.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading The old house was burned during the war, and on the old plantation where that happy home once stood there are now three or four chimneys and an old tumbled-down gin-house.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading The family lived happily on the plantation until the war broke out in 1861.

plantationnounUS /ˌplænˈteɪʃən/

an estate where cash crops are grown on a large scale (especially in tropical areas)

From this reading The family lived happily on the plantation until the war broke out in 1861.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading I have tried to give you some idea of how they lived in their Mississippi home, and I hope you have been amused and entertained; and now as “Diddie” said about _her_ book, I’ve got to “wind up,” and tell you what became of them.

shooknounUS /ʃʊk/

a disassembled barrel; the parts packed for storage or shipment

From this reading Then Major Waldron clasped his wife to his heart, kissed his daughters, shook hands with his faithful slaves, and went as a soldier to Virginia; and he is sleeping now on the slope of Malvern Hill, where he “Nobly died for Dixie.”

slavesnounUS /sleɪvz/

plural of “slave” — a person who is owned by someone

From this reading Then Major Waldron clasped his wife to his heart, kissed his daughters, shook hands with his faithful slaves, and went as a soldier to Virginia; and he is sleeping now on the slope of Malvern Hill, where he “Nobly died for Dixie.”

sleepingnounUS /ˈsliːpɪŋ/

the state of being asleep

From this reading Then Major Waldron clasped his wife to his heart, kissed his daughters, shook hands with his faithful slaves, and went as a soldier to Virginia; and he is sleeping now on the slope of Malvern Hill, where he “Nobly died for Dixie.”

slopenounUS /sloʊp/

an elevated geological formation

From this reading Then Major Waldron clasped his wife to his heart, kissed his daughters, shook hands with his faithful slaves, and went as a soldier to Virginia; and he is sleeping now on the slope of Malvern Hill, where he “Nobly died for Dixie.”

soldiernounUS /ˈsoʊldʒər/

an enlisted man or woman who serves in an army

From this reading Then Major Waldron clasped his wife to his heart, kissed his daughters, shook hands with his faithful slaves, and went as a soldier to Virginia; and he is sleeping now on the slope of Malvern Hill, where he “Nobly died for Dixie.”

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading I have tried to give you some idea of how they lived in their Mississippi home, and I hope you have been amused and entertained; and now as “Diddie” said about _her_ book, I’ve got to “wind up,” and tell you what became of them.

stoodverbUS /stʊd/

Maintained an upright posture.

From this reading The old house was burned during the war, and on the old plantation where that happy home once stood there are now three or four chimneys and an old tumbled-down gin-house.

tellverbUS /tel/

express in words

From this reading WHAT BECAME OF THEM Well, of course, I can’t tell you _all_ that happened to these little girls.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading WHAT BECAME OF THEM Well, of course, I can’t tell you _all_ that happened to these little girls.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The family lived happily on the plantation until the war broke out in 1861.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading I have tried to give you some idea of how they lived in their Mississippi home, and I hope you have been amused and entertained; and now as “Diddie” said about _her_ book, I’ve got to “wind up,” and tell you what became of them.

THEMpronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading WHAT BECAME OF THEM Well, of course, I can’t tell you _all_ that happened to these little girls.

ThenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Then Major Waldron clasped his wife to his heart, kissed his daughters, shook hands with his faithful slaves, and went as a soldier to Virginia; and he is sleeping now on the slope of Malvern Hill, where he “Nobly died for Dixie.”

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading The old house was burned during the war, and on the old plantation where that happy home once stood there are now three or four chimneys and an old tumbled-down gin-house.

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading WHAT BECAME OF THEM Well, of course, I can’t tell you _all_ that happened to these little girls.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading I have tried to give you some idea of how they lived in their Mississippi home, and I hope you have been amused and entertained; and now as “Diddie” said about _her_ book, I’ve got to “wind up,” and tell you what became of them.

threenounUS /θriː/

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

From this reading The old house was burned during the war, and on the old plantation where that happy home once stood there are now three or four chimneys and an old tumbled-down gin-house.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading WHAT BECAME OF THEM Well, of course, I can’t tell you _all_ that happened to these little girls.

triedadjectiveUS /traɪd/

tested and proved useful or correct

From this reading I have tried to give you some idea of how they lived in their Mississippi home, and I hope you have been amused and entertained; and now as “Diddie” said about _her_ book, I’ve got to “wind up,” and tell you what became of them.

tumbled-down

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

From this reading The old house was burned during the war, and on the old plantation where that happy home once stood there are now three or four chimneys and an old tumbled-down gin-house.

untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading The family lived happily on the plantation until the war broke out in 1861.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading I have tried to give you some idea of how they lived in their Mississippi home, and I hope you have been amused and entertained; and now as “Diddie” said about _her_ book, I’ve got to “wind up,” and tell you what became of them.

VirginianounUS /vərˈdʒɪnjə/

a state in the eastern United States; one of the original 13 colonies; one of the Confederate States in the American Civil War

From this reading Then Major Waldron clasped his wife to his heart, kissed his daughters, shook hands with his faithful slaves, and went as a soldier to Virginia; and he is sleeping now on the slope of Malvern Hill, where he “Nobly died for Dixie.”

Waldron

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

From this reading Then Major Waldron clasped his wife to his heart, kissed his daughters, shook hands with his faithful slaves, and went as a soldier to Virginia; and he is sleeping now on the slope of Malvern Hill, where he “Nobly died for Dixie.”

warnounUS /wɔːr/

the waging of armed conflict against an enemy

From this reading The family lived happily on the plantation until the war broke out in 1861.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The old house was burned during the war, and on the old plantation where that happy home once stood there are now three or four chimneys and an old tumbled-down gin-house.

WelladverbUS /wel/

(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)

From this reading WHAT BECAME OF THEM Well, of course, I can’t tell you _all_ that happened to these little girls.

wentverbUS /went/

inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading Then Major Waldron clasped his wife to his heart, kissed his daughters, shook hands with his faithful slaves, and went as a soldier to Virginia; and he is sleeping now on the slope of Malvern Hill, where he “Nobly died for Dixie.”

WHATpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading WHAT BECAME OF THEM Well, of course, I can’t tell you _all_ that happened to these little girls.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading Then Major Waldron clasped his wife to his heart, kissed his daughters, shook hands with his faithful slaves, and went as a soldier to Virginia; and he is sleeping now on the slope of Malvern Hill, where he “Nobly died for Dixie.”

wifenounUS /waɪf/

a married woman; a man's partner in marriage

From this reading Then Major Waldron clasped his wife to his heart, kissed his daughters, shook hands with his faithful slaves, and went as a soldier to Virginia; and he is sleeping now on the slope of Malvern Hill, where he “Nobly died for Dixie.”

windnounUS /waɪnd/

air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure

From this reading I have tried to give you some idea of how they lived in their Mississippi home, and I hope you have been amused and entertained; and now as “Diddie” said about _her_ book, I’ve got to “wind up,” and tell you what became of them.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Then Major Waldron clasped his wife to his heart, kissed his daughters, shook hands with his faithful slaves, and went as a soldier to Virginia; and he is sleeping now on the slope of Malvern Hill, where he “Nobly died for Dixie.”

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading WHAT BECAME OF THEM Well, of course, I can’t tell you _all_ that happened to these little girls.

Chapter 17 of Diddie, Dumps, and Tot by Louise Clarke Pyrnelle holds 39 sentences, grouped into 8 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 17 of Diddie, Dumps, and Tot contain?

Chapter 17 holds 39 sentences of Diddie, Dumps, and Tot, unabridged, divided into 8 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 17 of Diddie, Dumps, and Tot by Louise Clarke Pyrnelle exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 39 sentences, grouped into 8 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 17 of Diddie, Dumps, and Tot?

Work through the 8 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 8 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 17 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 17 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 Diddie, Dumps, and Tot

Common questions about reading Diddie, Dumps, and Tot by Louise Clarke Pyrnelle on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Diddie, Dumps, and Tot?

Yes. All 1487 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #4992 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Diddie, Dumps, and Tot is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #4992, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Diddie, Dumps, and Tot take to read?

About 123 minutes of reading across 298 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Diddie, Dumps, and Tot section by section

How to work through Diddie, Dumps, and Tot section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 17 chapters of Diddie, Dumps, and Tot 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 Diddie, Dumps, and Tot

Words and structures a reader meets early in Diddie, Dumps, and Tot, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Three
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Diddie, Dumps, and Tot; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Little
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Diddie, Dumps, and Tot; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Sisters
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Diddie, Dumps, and Tot; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Daughters
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Diddie, Dumps, and Tot; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.