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Mr. Blake's Walking-Stick
Mr. Blake's Walking-Stick

Chapter II

Chapter 2 of Mr. Blake's Walking-Stick is here in full — 49 sentences across 10 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Mr. Blake's Walking-Stick
Context Illustration Reading 1/9 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
_LONG-HEADED WILLIE._ De biskits is cold, and de steaks is cold as--as--ice, and dinner’s spiled!” said Curlypate, a girl about three years old, as Mr. Blake came in from his forenoon of visiting.
She tried to look very much vexed and put out,” but there was always either a smile or a cry hidden away in her dimpled cheek.
Pshaw!
Curlypate,” said Mr. Blake, as he put down his cane, you don’t scold worth a cent!”
And he lifted her up and kissed her.
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.

Mr. Blake's Walking-Stick

Chapter II

Chapter 2 of Mr. Blake's Walking-Stick is here in full — 49 sentences across 10 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/9 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
_LONG-HEADED WILLIE._ “De biskits is cold, and de steaks is cold as--as--ice, and dinner’s spiled!” said Curlypate, a girl about three years old, as Mr. Blake came in from his forenoon of visiting.
Line 2
She tried to look very much vexed andput out,” but there was always either a smile or a cry hidden away in her dimpled cheek.
/ʃiː traɪd tuː lʊk ˈveri mʌtʃ vekst ənd pʊt aʊt bʌt ðer wɑːz ˈɔːlweɪz ˈiːðər ə smaɪl ɔːr ə kraɪ ˈhɪdən əˈweɪ ɪn hɜːr ˈdɪmpəld tʃiːk/
Line 3
Pshaw!
Line 4
Curlypate,” said Mr. Blake, as he put down his cane, “you don’t scold worth a cent!”
Line 5
And he lifted her up and kissed her.
/ənd hiː ˈlɪftəd hɜːr ʌp ənd kɪst hɜːr/

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.

Blake noun US /bleɪk/

visionary British poet and painter (1757-1827)

From this reading “_LONG-HEADED WILLIE._ “De biskits is cold, and de steaks is cold as--as--ice, and dinner’s spiled!” said Curlypate, a girl about three years old, as Mr. Blake came in from his forenoon of visiting.”

cane noun US /keɪn/

a stick that people can lean on to help them walk

From this reading “Curlypate,” said Mr. Blake, as he put down his cane, “you don’t scold worth a cent!””

dimpled verb US /ˈdɪmpəld/

past form of “dimple” — mark with, or as if with, dimples

From this reading “She tried to look very much vexed and “put out,” but there was always either a smile or a cry hidden away in her dimpled cheek.”

dinner's noun US /ˈdɪnərz/

possessive form of “dinner” — the main meal of the day served in the evening or at midday

scold verb US /skoʊld/

censure severely or angrily

From this reading “Curlypate,” said Mr. Blake, as he put down his cane, “you don’t scold worth a cent!””

steaks noun US /steɪks/

plural of “steak” — a slice of meat cut from the fleshy part of an animal or large fish

From this reading “_LONG-HEADED WILLIE._ “De biskits is cold, and de steaks is cold as--as--ice, and dinner’s spiled!” said Curlypate, a girl about three years old, as Mr. Blake came in from his forenoon of visiting.”

vexed adjective US /vekst/

troubled persistently especially with petty annoyances

From this reading “She tried to look very much vexed and “put out,” but there was always either a smile or a cry hidden away in her dimpled cheek.”

visiting noun US /ˈvɪzɪtɪŋ/

the activity of making visits

From this reading “_LONG-HEADED WILLIE._ “De biskits is cold, and de steaks is cold as--as--ice, and dinner’s spiled!” said Curlypate, a girl about three years old, as Mr. Blake came in from his forenoon of visiting.”

Word partnerships in these lines

English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.

Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.

three years noun + noun

In this reading “_LONG-HEADED WILLIE._ “De biskits is cold, and de steaks is cold as--as--ice, and dinner’s spiled!” said Curlypate, a girl about three years old, as Mr. Blake came in from his forenoon of visiting.”

much vexed adverb + adjective

In this reading “She tried to look very much vexed and “put out,” but there was always either a smile or a cry hidden away in her dimpled cheek.”

put out verb + adjective

to cause inconvenience or discomfort to

In this reading “She tried to look very much vexed and “put out,” but there was always either a smile or a cry hidden away in her dimpled cheek.”

put down verb + adjective

cause to sit or seat or be in a settled position or place

In this reading “Curlypate,” said Mr. Blake, as he put down his cane, “you don’t scold worth a cent!””

about three preposition + noun

In this reading “_LONG-HEADED WILLIE._ “De biskits is cold, and de steaks is cold as--as--ice, and dinner’s spiled!” said Curlypate, a girl about three years old, as Mr. Blake came in from his forenoon of visiting.”

look very verb + adjective

In this reading “She tried to look very much vexed and “put out,” but there was always either a smile or a cry hidden away in her dimpled cheek.”

All words in this reading · 63

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

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

adeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading _LONG-HEADED WILLIE._ “De biskits is cold, and de steaks is cold as--as--ice, and dinner’s spiled!” said Curlypate, a girl about three years old, as Mr. Blake came in from his forenoon of visiting.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading _LONG-HEADED WILLIE._ “De biskits is cold, and de steaks is cold as--as--ice, and dinner’s spiled!” said Curlypate, a girl about three years old, as Mr. Blake came in from his forenoon of visiting.

alwaysadverbUS /ˈɔːlweɪz/

at all times; all the time and on every occasion

From this reading She tried to look very much vexed and “put out,” but there was always either a smile or a cry hidden away in her dimpled cheek.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading _LONG-HEADED WILLIE._ “De biskits is cold, and de steaks is cold as--as--ice, and dinner’s spiled!” said Curlypate, a girl about three years old, as Mr. Blake came in from his forenoon of visiting.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading _LONG-HEADED WILLIE._ “De biskits is cold, and de steaks is cold as--as--ice, and dinner’s spiled!” said Curlypate, a girl about three years old, as Mr. Blake came in from his forenoon of visiting.

awayadverbUS /əˈweɪ/

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading She tried to look very much vexed and “put out,” but there was always either a smile or a cry hidden away in her dimpled cheek.

biskits

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

From this reading _LONG-HEADED WILLIE._ “De biskits is cold, and de steaks is cold as--as--ice, and dinner’s spiled!” said Curlypate, a girl about three years old, as Mr. Blake came in from his forenoon of visiting.

BlakenounUS /bleɪk/

visionary British poet and painter (1757-1827)

From this reading _LONG-HEADED WILLIE._ “De biskits is cold, and de steaks is cold as--as--ice, and dinner’s spiled!” said Curlypate, a girl about three years old, as Mr. Blake came in from his forenoon of visiting.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading She tried to look very much vexed and “put out,” but there was always either a smile or a cry hidden away in her dimpled cheek.

cameverbUS /keɪm/

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading _LONG-HEADED WILLIE._ “De biskits is cold, and de steaks is cold as--as--ice, and dinner’s spiled!” said Curlypate, a girl about three years old, as Mr. Blake came in from his forenoon of visiting.

canenounUS /keɪn/

a stick that people can lean on to help them walk

From this reading Curlypate,” said Mr. Blake, as he put down his cane, “you don’t scold worth a cent!”

centnounUS /sent/

a fractional monetary unit of several countries

From this reading Curlypate,” said Mr. Blake, as he put down his cane, “you don’t scold worth a cent!”

cheeknounUS /tʃiːk/

either side of the face below the eyes

From this reading She tried to look very much vexed and “put out,” but there was always either a smile or a cry hidden away in her dimpled cheek.

coldadjectiveUS /koʊld/

having a low or inadequate temperature or feeling a sensation of coldness or having been made cold by e.g. ice or refrigeration

From this reading _LONG-HEADED WILLIE._ “De biskits is cold, and de steaks is cold as--as--ice, and dinner’s spiled!” said Curlypate, a girl about three years old, as Mr. Blake came in from his forenoon of visiting.

cryverbUS /kraɪ/

utter a sudden loud cry

From this reading She tried to look very much vexed and “put out,” but there was always either a smile or a cry hidden away in her dimpled cheek.

Curlypate

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

From this reading _LONG-HEADED WILLIE._ “De biskits is cold, and de steaks is cold as--as--ice, and dinner’s spiled!” said Curlypate, a girl about three years old, as Mr. Blake came in from his forenoon of visiting.

DenounUS /diː/

a Mid-Atlantic state; one of the original 13 colonies

From this reading _LONG-HEADED WILLIE._ “De biskits is cold, and de steaks is cold as--as--ice, and dinner’s spiled!” said Curlypate, a girl about three years old, as Mr. Blake came in from his forenoon of visiting.

dimpledverbUS /ˈdɪmpəld/

past form of “dimple” — mark with, or as if with, dimples

From this reading She tried to look very much vexed and “put out,” but there was always either a smile or a cry hidden away in her dimpled cheek.

dinner'snounUS /ˈdɪnərz/

possessive form of “dinner” — the main meal of the day served in the evening or at midday

From this reading _LONG-HEADED WILLIE._ “De biskits is cold, and de steaks is cold as--as--ice, and dinner’s spiled!” said Curlypate, a girl about three years old, as Mr. Blake came in from his forenoon of visiting.

don't

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

From this reading Curlypate,” said Mr. Blake, as he put down his cane, “you don’t scold worth a cent!”

downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading Curlypate,” said Mr. Blake, as he put down his cane, “you don’t scold worth a cent!”

eitherdeterminerUS /ˈiːðər/

one or the other of two

From this reading She tried to look very much vexed and “put out,” but there was always either a smile or a cry hidden away in her dimpled cheek.

forenoonnoun

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading _LONG-HEADED WILLIE._ “De biskits is cold, and de steaks is cold as--as--ice, and dinner’s spiled!” said Curlypate, a girl about three years old, as Mr. Blake came in from his forenoon of visiting.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading _LONG-HEADED WILLIE._ “De biskits is cold, and de steaks is cold as--as--ice, and dinner’s spiled!” said Curlypate, a girl about three years old, as Mr. Blake came in from his forenoon of visiting.

girlnounUS /ɡɜːrl/

a young female

From this reading _LONG-HEADED WILLIE._ “De biskits is cold, and de steaks is cold as--as--ice, and dinner’s spiled!” said Curlypate, a girl about three years old, as Mr. Blake came in from his forenoon of visiting.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Curlypate,” said Mr. Blake, as he put down his cane, “you don’t scold worth a cent!”

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading She tried to look very much vexed and “put out,” but there was always either a smile or a cry hidden away in her dimpled cheek.

hiddenadjectiveUS /ˈhɪdən/

not accessible to view

From this reading She tried to look very much vexed and “put out,” but there was always either a smile or a cry hidden away in her dimpled cheek.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading _LONG-HEADED WILLIE._ “De biskits is cold, and de steaks is cold as--as--ice, and dinner’s spiled!” said Curlypate, a girl about three years old, as Mr. Blake came in from his forenoon of visiting.

icenounUS /aɪs/

water frozen in the solid state

From this reading _LONG-HEADED WILLIE._ “De biskits is cold, and de steaks is cold as--as--ice, and dinner’s spiled!” said Curlypate, a girl about three years old, as Mr. Blake came in from his forenoon of visiting.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading _LONG-HEADED WILLIE._ “De biskits is cold, and de steaks is cold as--as--ice, and dinner’s spiled!” said Curlypate, a girl about three years old, as Mr. Blake came in from his forenoon of visiting.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading _LONG-HEADED WILLIE._ “De biskits is cold, and de steaks is cold as--as--ice, and dinner’s spiled!” said Curlypate, a girl about three years old, as Mr. Blake came in from his forenoon of visiting.

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 And he lifted her up and kissed her.

liftedadjectiveUS /ˈlɪftəd/

held up in the air

From this reading And he lifted her up and kissed her.

LONG-HEADEDadjective

having a dolichocephalic head

From this reading _LONG-HEADED WILLIE._ “De biskits is cold, and de steaks is cold as--as--ice, and dinner’s spiled!” said Curlypate, a girl about three years old, as Mr. Blake came in from his forenoon of visiting.

lookverbUS /lʊk/

perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading She tried to look very much vexed and “put out,” but there was always either a smile or a cry hidden away in her dimpled cheek.

MrnounUS /ˈmɪstər/

a form of address for a man

From this reading _LONG-HEADED WILLIE._ “De biskits is cold, and de steaks is cold as--as--ice, and dinner’s spiled!” said Curlypate, a girl about three years old, as Mr. Blake came in from his forenoon of visiting.

muchadverbUS /mʌtʃ/

to a great degree or extent

From this reading She tried to look very much vexed and “put out,” but there was always either a smile or a cry hidden away in her dimpled cheek.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading _LONG-HEADED WILLIE._ “De biskits is cold, and de steaks is cold as--as--ice, and dinner’s spiled!” said Curlypate, a girl about three years old, as Mr. Blake came in from his forenoon of visiting.

oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

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

From this reading _LONG-HEADED WILLIE._ “De biskits is cold, and de steaks is cold as--as--ice, and dinner’s spiled!” said Curlypate, a girl about three years old, as Mr. Blake came in from his forenoon of visiting.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading She tried to look very much vexed and “put out,” but there was always either a smile or a cry hidden away in her dimpled cheek.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading She tried to look very much vexed and “put out,” but there was always either a smile or a cry hidden away in her dimpled cheek.

Pshaw

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

From this reading “Pshaw!

putverbUS /pʊt/

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading She tried to look very much vexed and “put out,” but there was always either a smile or a cry hidden away in her dimpled cheek.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading _LONG-HEADED WILLIE._ “De biskits is cold, and de steaks is cold as--as--ice, and dinner’s spiled!” said Curlypate, a girl about three years old, as Mr. Blake came in from his forenoon of visiting.

scoldverbUS /skoʊld/

censure severely or angrily

From this reading Curlypate,” said Mr. Blake, as he put down his cane, “you don’t scold worth a cent!”

ShepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading She tried to look very much vexed and “put out,” but there was always either a smile or a cry hidden away in her dimpled cheek.

smileverbUS /smaɪl/

change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure

From this reading She tried to look very much vexed and “put out,” but there was always either a smile or a cry hidden away in her dimpled cheek.

spiled

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

From this reading _LONG-HEADED WILLIE._ “De biskits is cold, and de steaks is cold as--as--ice, and dinner’s spiled!” said Curlypate, a girl about three years old, as Mr. Blake came in from his forenoon of visiting.

steaksnounUS /steɪks/

plural of “steak” — a slice of meat cut from the fleshy part of an animal or large fish

From this reading _LONG-HEADED WILLIE._ “De biskits is cold, and de steaks is cold as--as--ice, and dinner’s spiled!” said Curlypate, a girl about three years old, as Mr. Blake came in from his forenoon of visiting.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading She tried to look very much vexed and “put out,” but there was always either a smile or a cry hidden away in her dimpled cheek.

threenounUS /θriː/

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

From this reading _LONG-HEADED WILLIE._ “De biskits is cold, and de steaks is cold as--as--ice, and dinner’s spiled!” said Curlypate, a girl about three years old, as Mr. Blake came in from his forenoon of visiting.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading She tried to look very much vexed and “put out,” but there was always either a smile or a cry hidden away in her dimpled cheek.

triedadjectiveUS /traɪd/

tested and proved useful or correct

From this reading She tried to look very much vexed and “put out,” but there was always either a smile or a cry hidden away in her dimpled cheek.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

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

From this reading And he lifted her up and kissed her.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading She tried to look very much vexed and “put out,” but there was always either a smile or a cry hidden away in her dimpled cheek.

vexedadjectiveUS /vekst/

troubled persistently especially with petty annoyances

From this reading She tried to look very much vexed and “put out,” but there was always either a smile or a cry hidden away in her dimpled cheek.

visitingnounUS /ˈvɪzɪtɪŋ/

the activity of making visits

From this reading _LONG-HEADED WILLIE._ “De biskits is cold, and de steaks is cold as--as--ice, and dinner’s spiled!” said Curlypate, a girl about three years old, as Mr. Blake came in from his forenoon of visiting.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading She tried to look very much vexed and “put out,” but there was always either a smile or a cry hidden away in her dimpled cheek.

WILLIE

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

From this reading _LONG-HEADED WILLIE._ “De biskits is cold, and de steaks is cold as--as--ice, and dinner’s spiled!” said Curlypate, a girl about three years old, as Mr. Blake came in from his forenoon of visiting.

worthnounUS /wɜːrθ/

an indefinite quantity of something having a specified value

From this reading Curlypate,” said Mr. Blake, as he put down his cane, “you don’t scold worth a cent!”

yearsnounUS /jɪrz/

a late time of life

From this reading _LONG-HEADED WILLIE._ “De biskits is cold, and de steaks is cold as--as--ice, and dinner’s spiled!” said Curlypate, a girl about three years old, as Mr. Blake came in from his forenoon of visiting.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading Curlypate,” said Mr. Blake, as he put down his cane, “you don’t scold worth a cent!”

Chapter 2 of Mr. Blake's Walking-Stick by Edward Eggleston holds 49 sentences, grouped into 10 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 2 of Mr. Blake's Walking-Stick contain?

Chapter 2 holds 49 sentences of Mr. Blake's Walking-Stick, unabridged, divided into 10 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 2 of Mr. Blake's Walking-Stick by Edward Eggleston exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 49 sentences, grouped into 10 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 2 of Mr. Blake's Walking-Stick?

Work through the 10 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 10 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 2 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 2 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 Mr. Blake's Walking-Stick

Common questions about reading Mr. Blake's Walking-Stick by Edward Eggleston on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Mr. Blake's Walking-Stick?

Yes. All 549 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #52935 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Mr. Blake's Walking-Stick is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #52935, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Mr. Blake's Walking-Stick take to read?

About 45 minutes of reading across 110 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Mr. Blake's Walking-Stick section by section

How to work through Mr. Blake's Walking-Stick section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 11 chapters of Mr. Blake's Walking-Stick 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 Mr. Blake's Walking-Stick

Words and structures a reader meets early in Mr. Blake's Walking-Stick, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Christmas
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mr. Blake's Walking-Stick; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Story
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mr. Blake's Walking-Stick; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Girls
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mr. Blake's Walking-Stick; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Author
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mr. Blake's Walking-Stick; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.