Learn English through classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
Miss Billy's Decision
Miss Billy's Decision

Chapter XIX · Chapter 19

Chapter 19 of Miss Billy's Decision is here in full — 175 sentences across 35 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Miss Billy's Decision
Context Illustration Reading 1/35 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Christmas came and went; and in a flurry of snow and sleet January arrived.
The holidays over, matters and things seemed to settle down to the winter routine.
Miss Winthrop had prolonged her visit in Washington until after Christmas, but she had returned to Boston now--and with her she had brought a brand-new idea for her portrait; an idea that caused her to sweep aside with superb disdain all poses and costumes and sketches to date, and announce herself with disarming winsomeness as all ready now to really begin!”
Bertram Henshaw was vexed, but helpless.
Decidedly he wished to paint Miss Marguerite Winthrop's portrait; but to attempt to paint it when all matters were not to the lady's liking were worse than useless, unless he wished to hang this portrait in the gallery of failures along with Anderson's and Fullam's--and that was not the goal he had set for it.
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.

Miss Billy's Decision

Chapter XIX · Chapter 19

Chapter 19 of Miss Billy's Decision is here in full — 175 sentences across 35 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/35 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Christmas came and went; and in a flurry of snow and sleet January arrived.
Line 2
The holidays over, matters and things seemed to settle down to the winter routine.
Line 3
Miss Winthrop had prolonged her visit in Washington until after Christmas, but she had returned to Boston now--and with her she had brought a brand-new idea for her portrait; an idea that caused her to sweep aside with superb disdain all poses and costumes and sketches to date, and announce herself with disarming winsomeness asall ready now to really begin!”
Line 4
Bertram Henshaw was vexed, but helpless.
Line 5
Decidedly he wished to paint Miss Marguerite Winthrop's portrait; but to attempt to paint it when all matters were not to the lady's liking were worse than useless, unless he wished to hang this portrait in the gallery of failures along with Anderson's and Fullam's--and that was not the goal he had set for it.
{# Open, not a
. The whole point of the reading is the vocabulary, and behind a summary a learner had to know to click before seeing any of it. #}

All words in this reading · 94

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.

a

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

From this reading Christmas came and went; and in a flurry of snow and sleet January arrived.

after

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

From this reading Miss Winthrop had prolonged her visit in Washington until after Christmas, but she had returned to Boston now--and with her she had brought a brand-new idea for her portrait; an idea that caused her to sweep aside with superb disdain all poses and costumes and sketches to date, and announce herself with disarming winsomeness as “all ready now to really begin!”

all

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

From this reading Miss Winthrop had prolonged her visit in Washington until after Christmas, but she had returned to Boston now--and with her she had brought a brand-new idea for her portrait; an idea that caused her to sweep aside with superb disdain all poses and costumes and sketches to date, and announce herself with disarming winsomeness as “all ready now to really begin!”

along

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

From this reading Decidedly he wished to paint Miss Marguerite Winthrop's portrait; but to attempt to paint it when all matters were not to the lady's liking were worse than useless, unless he wished to hang this portrait in the gallery of failures along with Anderson's and Fullam's--and that was not the goal he had set for it.

an

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

From this reading Miss Winthrop had prolonged her visit in Washington until after Christmas, but she had returned to Boston now--and with her she had brought a brand-new idea for her portrait; an idea that caused her to sweep aside with superb disdain all poses and costumes and sketches to date, and announce herself with disarming winsomeness as “all ready now to really begin!”

and

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

From this reading Christmas came and went; and in a flurry of snow and sleet January arrived.

Anderson's

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

From this reading Decidedly he wished to paint Miss Marguerite Winthrop's portrait; but to attempt to paint it when all matters were not to the lady's liking were worse than useless, unless he wished to hang this portrait in the gallery of failures along with Anderson's and Fullam's--and that was not the goal he had set for it.

announce

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

From this reading Miss Winthrop had prolonged her visit in Washington until after Christmas, but she had returned to Boston now--and with her she had brought a brand-new idea for her portrait; an idea that caused her to sweep aside with superb disdain all poses and costumes and sketches to date, and announce herself with disarming winsomeness as “all ready now to really begin!”

arrived

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

From this reading Christmas came and went; and in a flurry of snow and sleet January arrived.

as

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

From this reading Miss Winthrop had prolonged her visit in Washington until after Christmas, but she had returned to Boston now--and with her she had brought a brand-new idea for her portrait; an idea that caused her to sweep aside with superb disdain all poses and costumes and sketches to date, and announce herself with disarming winsomeness as “all ready now to really begin!”

aside

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

From this reading Miss Winthrop had prolonged her visit in Washington until after Christmas, but she had returned to Boston now--and with her she had brought a brand-new idea for her portrait; an idea that caused her to sweep aside with superb disdain all poses and costumes and sketches to date, and announce herself with disarming winsomeness as “all ready now to really begin!”

attempt

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

From this reading Decidedly he wished to paint Miss Marguerite Winthrop's portrait; but to attempt to paint it when all matters were not to the lady's liking were worse than useless, unless he wished to hang this portrait in the gallery of failures along with Anderson's and Fullam's--and that was not the goal he had set for it.

begin

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

From this reading Miss Winthrop had prolonged her visit in Washington until after Christmas, but she had returned to Boston now--and with her she had brought a brand-new idea for her portrait; an idea that caused her to sweep aside with superb disdain all poses and costumes and sketches to date, and announce herself with disarming winsomeness as “all ready now to really begin!”

Bertram

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

From this reading Bertram Henshaw was vexed, but helpless.

Boston

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

From this reading Miss Winthrop had prolonged her visit in Washington until after Christmas, but she had returned to Boston now--and with her she had brought a brand-new idea for her portrait; an idea that caused her to sweep aside with superb disdain all poses and costumes and sketches to date, and announce herself with disarming winsomeness as “all ready now to really begin!”

brand-new

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

From this reading Miss Winthrop had prolonged her visit in Washington until after Christmas, but she had returned to Boston now--and with her she had brought a brand-new idea for her portrait; an idea that caused her to sweep aside with superb disdain all poses and costumes and sketches to date, and announce herself with disarming winsomeness as “all ready now to really begin!”

brought

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

From this reading Miss Winthrop had prolonged her visit in Washington until after Christmas, but she had returned to Boston now--and with her she had brought a brand-new idea for her portrait; an idea that caused her to sweep aside with superb disdain all poses and costumes and sketches to date, and announce herself with disarming winsomeness as “all ready now to really begin!”

but

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

From this reading Miss Winthrop had prolonged her visit in Washington until after Christmas, but she had returned to Boston now--and with her she had brought a brand-new idea for her portrait; an idea that caused her to sweep aside with superb disdain all poses and costumes and sketches to date, and announce herself with disarming winsomeness as “all ready now to really begin!”

came

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

From this reading Christmas came and went; and in a flurry of snow and sleet January arrived.

caused

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

From this reading Miss Winthrop had prolonged her visit in Washington until after Christmas, but she had returned to Boston now--and with her she had brought a brand-new idea for her portrait; an idea that caused her to sweep aside with superb disdain all poses and costumes and sketches to date, and announce herself with disarming winsomeness as “all ready now to really begin!”

Christmas

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

From this reading Christmas came and went; and in a flurry of snow and sleet January arrived.

costumes

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

From this reading Miss Winthrop had prolonged her visit in Washington until after Christmas, but she had returned to Boston now--and with her she had brought a brand-new idea for her portrait; an idea that caused her to sweep aside with superb disdain all poses and costumes and sketches to date, and announce herself with disarming winsomeness as “all ready now to really begin!”

date

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

From this reading Miss Winthrop had prolonged her visit in Washington until after Christmas, but she had returned to Boston now--and with her she had brought a brand-new idea for her portrait; an idea that caused her to sweep aside with superb disdain all poses and costumes and sketches to date, and announce herself with disarming winsomeness as “all ready now to really begin!”

Decidedly

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

From this reading Decidedly he wished to paint Miss Marguerite Winthrop's portrait; but to attempt to paint it when all matters were not to the lady's liking were worse than useless, unless he wished to hang this portrait in the gallery of failures along with Anderson's and Fullam's--and that was not the goal he had set for it.

disarming

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

From this reading Miss Winthrop had prolonged her visit in Washington until after Christmas, but she had returned to Boston now--and with her she had brought a brand-new idea for her portrait; an idea that caused her to sweep aside with superb disdain all poses and costumes and sketches to date, and announce herself with disarming winsomeness as “all ready now to really begin!”

disdain

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

From this reading Miss Winthrop had prolonged her visit in Washington until after Christmas, but she had returned to Boston now--and with her she had brought a brand-new idea for her portrait; an idea that caused her to sweep aside with superb disdain all poses and costumes and sketches to date, and announce herself with disarming winsomeness as “all ready now to really begin!”

down

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

From this reading The holidays over, matters and things seemed to settle down to the winter routine.

failures

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

From this reading Decidedly he wished to paint Miss Marguerite Winthrop's portrait; but to attempt to paint it when all matters were not to the lady's liking were worse than useless, unless he wished to hang this portrait in the gallery of failures along with Anderson's and Fullam's--and that was not the goal he had set for it.

flurry

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

From this reading Christmas came and went; and in a flurry of snow and sleet January arrived.

for

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

From this reading Miss Winthrop had prolonged her visit in Washington until after Christmas, but she had returned to Boston now--and with her she had brought a brand-new idea for her portrait; an idea that caused her to sweep aside with superb disdain all poses and costumes and sketches to date, and announce herself with disarming winsomeness as “all ready now to really begin!”

Fullam's

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

From this reading Decidedly he wished to paint Miss Marguerite Winthrop's portrait; but to attempt to paint it when all matters were not to the lady's liking were worse than useless, unless he wished to hang this portrait in the gallery of failures along with Anderson's and Fullam's--and that was not the goal he had set for it.

gallery

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

From this reading Decidedly he wished to paint Miss Marguerite Winthrop's portrait; but to attempt to paint it when all matters were not to the lady's liking were worse than useless, unless he wished to hang this portrait in the gallery of failures along with Anderson's and Fullam's--and that was not the goal he had set for it.

goal

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

From this reading Decidedly he wished to paint Miss Marguerite Winthrop's portrait; but to attempt to paint it when all matters were not to the lady's liking were worse than useless, unless he wished to hang this portrait in the gallery of failures along with Anderson's and Fullam's--and that was not the goal he had set for it.

had

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

From this reading Miss Winthrop had prolonged her visit in Washington until after Christmas, but she had returned to Boston now--and with her she had brought a brand-new idea for her portrait; an idea that caused her to sweep aside with superb disdain all poses and costumes and sketches to date, and announce herself with disarming winsomeness as “all ready now to really begin!”

hang

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

From this reading Decidedly he wished to paint Miss Marguerite Winthrop's portrait; but to attempt to paint it when all matters were not to the lady's liking were worse than useless, unless he wished to hang this portrait in the gallery of failures along with Anderson's and Fullam's--and that was not the goal he had set for it.

he

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

From this reading Decidedly he wished to paint Miss Marguerite Winthrop's portrait; but to attempt to paint it when all matters were not to the lady's liking were worse than useless, unless he wished to hang this portrait in the gallery of failures along with Anderson's and Fullam's--and that was not the goal he had set for it.

helpless

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

From this reading Bertram Henshaw was vexed, but helpless.

Henshaw

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

From this reading Bertram Henshaw was vexed, but helpless.

her

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

From this reading Miss Winthrop had prolonged her visit in Washington until after Christmas, but she had returned to Boston now--and with her she had brought a brand-new idea for her portrait; an idea that caused her to sweep aside with superb disdain all poses and costumes and sketches to date, and announce herself with disarming winsomeness as “all ready now to really begin!”

herself

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

From this reading Miss Winthrop had prolonged her visit in Washington until after Christmas, but she had returned to Boston now--and with her she had brought a brand-new idea for her portrait; an idea that caused her to sweep aside with superb disdain all poses and costumes and sketches to date, and announce herself with disarming winsomeness as “all ready now to really begin!”

holidays

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

From this reading The holidays over, matters and things seemed to settle down to the winter routine.

idea

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

From this reading Miss Winthrop had prolonged her visit in Washington until after Christmas, but she had returned to Boston now--and with her she had brought a brand-new idea for her portrait; an idea that caused her to sweep aside with superb disdain all poses and costumes and sketches to date, and announce herself with disarming winsomeness as “all ready now to really begin!”

in

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

From this reading Christmas came and went; and in a flurry of snow and sleet January arrived.

it

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

From this reading Decidedly he wished to paint Miss Marguerite Winthrop's portrait; but to attempt to paint it when all matters were not to the lady's liking were worse than useless, unless he wished to hang this portrait in the gallery of failures along with Anderson's and Fullam's--and that was not the goal he had set for it.

January

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

From this reading Christmas came and went; and in a flurry of snow and sleet January arrived.

lady's

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

From this reading Decidedly he wished to paint Miss Marguerite Winthrop's portrait; but to attempt to paint it when all matters were not to the lady's liking were worse than useless, unless he wished to hang this portrait in the gallery of failures along with Anderson's and Fullam's--and that was not the goal he had set for it.

liking

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

From this reading Decidedly he wished to paint Miss Marguerite Winthrop's portrait; but to attempt to paint it when all matters were not to the lady's liking were worse than useless, unless he wished to hang this portrait in the gallery of failures along with Anderson's and Fullam's--and that was not the goal he had set for it.

Marguerite

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

From this reading Decidedly he wished to paint Miss Marguerite Winthrop's portrait; but to attempt to paint it when all matters were not to the lady's liking were worse than useless, unless he wished to hang this portrait in the gallery of failures along with Anderson's and Fullam's--and that was not the goal he had set for it.

matters

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

From this reading The holidays over, matters and things seemed to settle down to the winter routine.

Miss

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

From this reading Miss Winthrop had prolonged her visit in Washington until after Christmas, but she had returned to Boston now--and with her she had brought a brand-new idea for her portrait; an idea that caused her to sweep aside with superb disdain all poses and costumes and sketches to date, and announce herself with disarming winsomeness as “all ready now to really begin!”

not

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

From this reading Decidedly he wished to paint Miss Marguerite Winthrop's portrait; but to attempt to paint it when all matters were not to the lady's liking were worse than useless, unless he wished to hang this portrait in the gallery of failures along with Anderson's and Fullam's--and that was not the goal he had set for it.

now

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

From this reading Miss Winthrop had prolonged her visit in Washington until after Christmas, but she had returned to Boston now--and with her she had brought a brand-new idea for her portrait; an idea that caused her to sweep aside with superb disdain all poses and costumes and sketches to date, and announce herself with disarming winsomeness as “all ready now to really begin!”

of

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

From this reading Christmas came and went; and in a flurry of snow and sleet January arrived.

over

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

From this reading The holidays over, matters and things seemed to settle down to the winter routine.

paint

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

From this reading Decidedly he wished to paint Miss Marguerite Winthrop's portrait; but to attempt to paint it when all matters were not to the lady's liking were worse than useless, unless he wished to hang this portrait in the gallery of failures along with Anderson's and Fullam's--and that was not the goal he had set for it.

portrait

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

From this reading Miss Winthrop had prolonged her visit in Washington until after Christmas, but she had returned to Boston now--and with her she had brought a brand-new idea for her portrait; an idea that caused her to sweep aside with superb disdain all poses and costumes and sketches to date, and announce herself with disarming winsomeness as “all ready now to really begin!”

poses

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

From this reading Miss Winthrop had prolonged her visit in Washington until after Christmas, but she had returned to Boston now--and with her she had brought a brand-new idea for her portrait; an idea that caused her to sweep aside with superb disdain all poses and costumes and sketches to date, and announce herself with disarming winsomeness as “all ready now to really begin!”

prolonged

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

From this reading Miss Winthrop had prolonged her visit in Washington until after Christmas, but she had returned to Boston now--and with her she had brought a brand-new idea for her portrait; an idea that caused her to sweep aside with superb disdain all poses and costumes and sketches to date, and announce herself with disarming winsomeness as “all ready now to really begin!”

ready

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

From this reading Miss Winthrop had prolonged her visit in Washington until after Christmas, but she had returned to Boston now--and with her she had brought a brand-new idea for her portrait; an idea that caused her to sweep aside with superb disdain all poses and costumes and sketches to date, and announce herself with disarming winsomeness as “all ready now to really begin!”

really

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

From this reading Miss Winthrop had prolonged her visit in Washington until after Christmas, but she had returned to Boston now--and with her she had brought a brand-new idea for her portrait; an idea that caused her to sweep aside with superb disdain all poses and costumes and sketches to date, and announce herself with disarming winsomeness as “all ready now to really begin!”

returned

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

From this reading Miss Winthrop had prolonged her visit in Washington until after Christmas, but she had returned to Boston now--and with her she had brought a brand-new idea for her portrait; an idea that caused her to sweep aside with superb disdain all poses and costumes and sketches to date, and announce herself with disarming winsomeness as “all ready now to really begin!”

routine

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

From this reading The holidays over, matters and things seemed to settle down to the winter routine.

seemed

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

From this reading The holidays over, matters and things seemed to settle down to the winter routine.

set

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

From this reading Decidedly he wished to paint Miss Marguerite Winthrop's portrait; but to attempt to paint it when all matters were not to the lady's liking were worse than useless, unless he wished to hang this portrait in the gallery of failures along with Anderson's and Fullam's--and that was not the goal he had set for it.

settle

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

From this reading The holidays over, matters and things seemed to settle down to the winter routine.

she

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

From this reading Miss Winthrop had prolonged her visit in Washington until after Christmas, but she had returned to Boston now--and with her she had brought a brand-new idea for her portrait; an idea that caused her to sweep aside with superb disdain all poses and costumes and sketches to date, and announce herself with disarming winsomeness as “all ready now to really begin!”

sketches

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

From this reading Miss Winthrop had prolonged her visit in Washington until after Christmas, but she had returned to Boston now--and with her she had brought a brand-new idea for her portrait; an idea that caused her to sweep aside with superb disdain all poses and costumes and sketches to date, and announce herself with disarming winsomeness as “all ready now to really begin!”

sleet

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

From this reading Christmas came and went; and in a flurry of snow and sleet January arrived.

snow

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

From this reading Christmas came and went; and in a flurry of snow and sleet January arrived.

superb

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

From this reading Miss Winthrop had prolonged her visit in Washington until after Christmas, but she had returned to Boston now--and with her she had brought a brand-new idea for her portrait; an idea that caused her to sweep aside with superb disdain all poses and costumes and sketches to date, and announce herself with disarming winsomeness as “all ready now to really begin!”

sweep

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

From this reading Miss Winthrop had prolonged her visit in Washington until after Christmas, but she had returned to Boston now--and with her she had brought a brand-new idea for her portrait; an idea that caused her to sweep aside with superb disdain all poses and costumes and sketches to date, and announce herself with disarming winsomeness as “all ready now to really begin!”

than

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

From this reading Decidedly he wished to paint Miss Marguerite Winthrop's portrait; but to attempt to paint it when all matters were not to the lady's liking were worse than useless, unless he wished to hang this portrait in the gallery of failures along with Anderson's and Fullam's--and that was not the goal he had set for it.

that

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

From this reading Miss Winthrop had prolonged her visit in Washington until after Christmas, but she had returned to Boston now--and with her she had brought a brand-new idea for her portrait; an idea that caused her to sweep aside with superb disdain all poses and costumes and sketches to date, and announce herself with disarming winsomeness as “all ready now to really begin!”

The

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

From this reading The holidays over, matters and things seemed to settle down to the winter routine.

things

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

From this reading The holidays over, matters and things seemed to settle down to the winter routine.

this

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

From this reading Decidedly he wished to paint Miss Marguerite Winthrop's portrait; but to attempt to paint it when all matters were not to the lady's liking were worse than useless, unless he wished to hang this portrait in the gallery of failures along with Anderson's and Fullam's--and that was not the goal he had set for it.

to

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

From this reading The holidays over, matters and things seemed to settle down to the winter routine.

unless

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

From this reading Decidedly he wished to paint Miss Marguerite Winthrop's portrait; but to attempt to paint it when all matters were not to the lady's liking were worse than useless, unless he wished to hang this portrait in the gallery of failures along with Anderson's and Fullam's--and that was not the goal he had set for it.

until

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

From this reading Miss Winthrop had prolonged her visit in Washington until after Christmas, but she had returned to Boston now--and with her she had brought a brand-new idea for her portrait; an idea that caused her to sweep aside with superb disdain all poses and costumes and sketches to date, and announce herself with disarming winsomeness as “all ready now to really begin!”

useless

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

From this reading Decidedly he wished to paint Miss Marguerite Winthrop's portrait; but to attempt to paint it when all matters were not to the lady's liking were worse than useless, unless he wished to hang this portrait in the gallery of failures along with Anderson's and Fullam's--and that was not the goal he had set for it.

vexed

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

From this reading Bertram Henshaw was vexed, but helpless.

visit

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

From this reading Miss Winthrop had prolonged her visit in Washington until after Christmas, but she had returned to Boston now--and with her she had brought a brand-new idea for her portrait; an idea that caused her to sweep aside with superb disdain all poses and costumes and sketches to date, and announce herself with disarming winsomeness as “all ready now to really begin!”

was

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

From this reading Bertram Henshaw was vexed, but helpless.

Washington

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

From this reading Miss Winthrop had prolonged her visit in Washington until after Christmas, but she had returned to Boston now--and with her she had brought a brand-new idea for her portrait; an idea that caused her to sweep aside with superb disdain all poses and costumes and sketches to date, and announce herself with disarming winsomeness as “all ready now to really begin!”

went

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

From this reading Christmas came and went; and in a flurry of snow and sleet January arrived.

were

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

From this reading Decidedly he wished to paint Miss Marguerite Winthrop's portrait; but to attempt to paint it when all matters were not to the lady's liking were worse than useless, unless he wished to hang this portrait in the gallery of failures along with Anderson's and Fullam's--and that was not the goal he had set for it.

when

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

From this reading Decidedly he wished to paint Miss Marguerite Winthrop's portrait; but to attempt to paint it when all matters were not to the lady's liking were worse than useless, unless he wished to hang this portrait in the gallery of failures along with Anderson's and Fullam's--and that was not the goal he had set for it.

winsomeness

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

From this reading Miss Winthrop had prolonged her visit in Washington until after Christmas, but she had returned to Boston now--and with her she had brought a brand-new idea for her portrait; an idea that caused her to sweep aside with superb disdain all poses and costumes and sketches to date, and announce herself with disarming winsomeness as “all ready now to really begin!”

winter

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

From this reading The holidays over, matters and things seemed to settle down to the winter routine.

Winthrop

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

From this reading Miss Winthrop had prolonged her visit in Washington until after Christmas, but she had returned to Boston now--and with her she had brought a brand-new idea for her portrait; an idea that caused her to sweep aside with superb disdain all poses and costumes and sketches to date, and announce herself with disarming winsomeness as “all ready now to really begin!”

Winthrop's

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

From this reading Decidedly he wished to paint Miss Marguerite Winthrop's portrait; but to attempt to paint it when all matters were not to the lady's liking were worse than useless, unless he wished to hang this portrait in the gallery of failures along with Anderson's and Fullam's--and that was not the goal he had set for it.

wished

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

From this reading Decidedly he wished to paint Miss Marguerite Winthrop's portrait; but to attempt to paint it when all matters were not to the lady's liking were worse than useless, unless he wished to hang this portrait in the gallery of failures along with Anderson's and Fullam's--and that was not the goal he had set for it.

with

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

From this reading Miss Winthrop had prolonged her visit in Washington until after Christmas, but she had returned to Boston now--and with her she had brought a brand-new idea for her portrait; an idea that caused her to sweep aside with superb disdain all poses and costumes and sketches to date, and announce herself with disarming winsomeness as “all ready now to really begin!”

worse

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

From this reading Decidedly he wished to paint Miss Marguerite Winthrop's portrait; but to attempt to paint it when all matters were not to the lady's liking were worse than useless, unless he wished to hang this portrait in the gallery of failures along with Anderson's and Fullam's--and that was not the goal he had set for it.

{# Reading first, then the prose written for search engines. Above the player it pushed the five lines, the audio and the vocabulary off the first screen on the page whose whole purpose is to read them. #}

Chapter 19 of Miss Billy's Decision by Eleanor H. (Eleanor Hodgman) Porter holds 175 sentences, grouped into 35 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, 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 19 of Miss Billy's Decision contain?

Chapter 19 holds 175 sentences of Miss Billy's Decision, unabridged, divided into 35 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 19 of Miss Billy's Decision by Eleanor H. (Eleanor Hodgman) Porter exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 175 sentences, grouped into 35 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 19 of Miss Billy's Decision?

Work through the 35 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 35 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 19 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 19 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 Miss Billy's Decision

Common questions about reading Miss Billy's Decision by Eleanor H. (Eleanor Hodgman) Porter on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Miss Billy's Decision?

Yes. All 5345 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #362 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Miss Billy's Decision is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #362, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Miss Billy's Decision take to read?

About 445 minutes of reading across 1069 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Miss Billy's Decision section by section

How to work through Miss Billy's Decision section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 33 chapters of Miss Billy's Decision 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 Miss Billy's Decision

Words and structures a reader meets early in Miss Billy's Decision, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Calderwell
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Miss Billy's Decision; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Arkwright
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Miss Billy's Decision; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
London
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Miss Billy's Decision; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Through
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Miss Billy's Decision; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.