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Mrs. Tree
Mrs. Tree

Chapter XVI

Chapter 16 of Mrs. Tree is here in full — 204 sentences across 41 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Laura Elizabeth Howe Richards • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for Mrs. Tree
Context Illustration Reading 1/40 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
DOCTOR STEDMAN'S PATIENT Bright and early the next morning, Mrs. Pryor presented herself at Mrs. Tree's door.
It was another Indian summer morning, mild and soft.
As she came up the street, Mrs. Pryor had seen, or thought she had seen, a figure sitting in the wicker rocking-chair on the porch.
The chair was empty now, but it was rocking--perhaps with the wind.
Direxia Hawkes answered the visitor's knock.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Mrs. Tree

Chapter XVI

Chapter 16 of Mrs. Tree is here in full — 204 sentences across 41 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/40 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
DOCTOR STEDMAN'S PATIENT Bright and early the next morning, Mrs. Pryor presented herself at Mrs. Tree's door.
Line 2
It was another Indian summer morning, mild and soft.
/ɪt wɑːz əˈnʌðər ˈɪndiən ˈsʌmər ˈmɔːrnɪŋ maɪld ənd sɑːft/
Line 3
As she came up the street, Mrs. Pryor had seen, or thought she had seen, a figure sitting in the wicker rocking-chair on the porch.
Line 4
The chair was empty now, but it was rocking--perhaps with the wind.
Line 5
Direxia Hawkes answered the visitor's knock.

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.

Hawkes verb US /hɔːks/

third-person singular of “hawk” — sell or offer for sale from place to place

From this reading “Direxia Hawkes answered the visitor's knock.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
knock verb US /nɑːk/

deliver a sharp blow or push

From this reading “Direxia Hawkes answered the visitor's knock.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
mild adjective US /maɪld/

moderate in type or degree or effect or force; far from extreme

From this reading “It was another Indian summer morning, mild and soft.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
patient noun US /ˈpeɪʃənt/

a person who requires medical care

From this reading “DOCTOR STEDMAN'S PATIENT Bright and early the next morning, Mrs. Pryor presented herself at Mrs. Tree's door.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
porch noun US /pɔːrtʃ/

a structure attached to the exterior of a building often forming a covered entrance

From this reading “As she came up the street, Mrs. Pryor had seen, or thought she had seen, a figure sitting in the wicker rocking-chair on the porch.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
rocking verb US /ˈrɑːkɪŋ/

-ing form of “rock” — move back and forth or sideways

From this reading “As she came up the street, Mrs. Pryor had seen, or thought she had seen, a figure sitting in the wicker rocking-chair on the porch.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
visitor's noun US /ˈvɪzɪtərz/

possessive form of “visitor” — someone who visits

From this reading “Direxia Hawkes answered the visitor's knock.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wicker noun US /ˈwɪkər/

slender flexible branches or twigs (especially of willow or some canes); used for wickerwork

From this reading “As she came up the street, Mrs. Pryor had seen, or thought she had seen, a figure sitting in the wicker rocking-chair on the porch.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

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.

next morning adjective + noun

In this reading “DOCTOR STEDMAN'S PATIENT Bright and early the next morning, Mrs. Pryor presented herself at Mrs. Tree's door.”

52,521 times in 426,211 chapters
on the porch preposition + article + noun counted as “on … porch”

In this reading “As she came up the street, Mrs. Pryor had seen, or thought she had seen, a figure sitting in the wicker rocking-chair on the porch.”

5,062 times in 426,211 chapters
summer morning noun + noun

In this reading “It was another Indian summer morning, mild and soft.”

1,589 times in 426,211 chapters
came up verb + adjective counted as “come up”

bring forth, usually something desirable

In this reading “As she came up the street, Mrs. Pryor had seen, or thought she had seen, a figure sitting in the wicker rocking-chair on the porch.”

80,012 times in 426,211 chapters

All words in this reading · 53

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 As she came up the street, Mrs. Pryor had seen, or thought she had seen, a figure sitting in the wicker rocking-chair on the porch.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading DOCTOR STEDMAN'S PATIENT Bright and early the next morning, Mrs. Pryor presented herself at Mrs. Tree's door.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
anotherdeterminerUS /əˈnʌðər/

one more of the same kind, or a different one

From this reading It was another Indian summer morning, mild and soft.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
answeredverbUS /ˈænsərd/

past form of “answer” — react verbally

From this reading Direxia Hawkes answered the visitor's knock.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
AsconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading As she came up the street, Mrs. Pryor had seen, or thought she had seen, a figure sitting in the wicker rocking-chair on the porch.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading DOCTOR STEDMAN'S PATIENT Bright and early the next morning, Mrs. Pryor presented herself at Mrs. Tree's door.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
BrightadjectiveUS /braɪt/

emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts

From this reading DOCTOR STEDMAN'S PATIENT Bright and early the next morning, Mrs. Pryor presented herself at Mrs. Tree's door.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading The chair was empty now, but it was rocking--perhaps with the wind.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
cameverbUS /keɪm/

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

From this reading As she came up the street, Mrs. Pryor had seen, or thought she had seen, a figure sitting in the wicker rocking-chair on the porch.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
chairnounUS /tʃer/

a seat for one person, with a support for the back

From this reading The chair was empty now, but it was rocking--perhaps with the wind.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Direxia

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

From this reading Direxia Hawkes answered the visitor's knock.

Pending verification
DOCTORnounUS /ˈdɑːktər/

a licensed medical practitioner

From this reading DOCTOR STEDMAN'S PATIENT Bright and early the next morning, Mrs. Pryor presented herself at Mrs. Tree's door.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
doornounUS /dɔːr/

a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle

From this reading DOCTOR STEDMAN'S PATIENT Bright and early the next morning, Mrs. Pryor presented herself at Mrs. Tree's door.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/

at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time

From this reading DOCTOR STEDMAN'S PATIENT Bright and early the next morning, Mrs. Pryor presented herself at Mrs. Tree's door.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
emptyverbUS /ˈempti/

make void or empty of contents

From this reading The chair was empty now, but it was rocking--perhaps with the wind.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
figurenounUS /ˈfɪɡjər/

a diagram or picture illustrating textual material

From this reading As she came up the street, Mrs. Pryor had seen, or thought she had seen, a figure sitting in the wicker rocking-chair on the porch.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading As she came up the street, Mrs. Pryor had seen, or thought she had seen, a figure sitting in the wicker rocking-chair on the porch.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
HawkesverbUS /hɔːks/

third-person singular of “hawk” — sell or offer for sale from place to place

From this reading Direxia Hawkes answered the visitor's knock.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
herselfpronounUS /hərˈself/

used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object

From this reading DOCTOR STEDMAN'S PATIENT Bright and early the next morning, Mrs. Pryor presented herself at Mrs. Tree's door.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading As she came up the street, Mrs. Pryor had seen, or thought she had seen, a figure sitting in the wicker rocking-chair on the porch.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
IndianadjectiveUS /ˈɪndiən/

of or relating to or characteristic of India or the East Indies or their peoples or languages or cultures

From this reading It was another Indian summer morning, mild and soft.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was another Indian summer morning, mild and soft.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
knockverbUS /nɑːk/

deliver a sharp blow or push

From this reading Direxia Hawkes answered the visitor's knock.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
mildadjectiveUS /maɪld/

moderate in type or degree or effect or force; far from extreme

From this reading It was another Indian summer morning, mild and soft.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
morningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading DOCTOR STEDMAN'S PATIENT Bright and early the next morning, Mrs. Pryor presented herself at Mrs. Tree's door.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
MrsnounUS /ˈmɪsɪz/

a form of address for a married woman

From this reading DOCTOR STEDMAN'S PATIENT Bright and early the next morning, Mrs. Pryor presented herself at Mrs. Tree's door.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
nextadjectiveUS /nekst/

immediately following in time or order

From this reading DOCTOR STEDMAN'S PATIENT Bright and early the next morning, Mrs. Pryor presented herself at Mrs. Tree's door.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
nowadverbUS /naʊ/

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

From this reading The chair was empty now, but it was rocking--perhaps with the wind.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading As she came up the street, Mrs. Pryor had seen, or thought she had seen, a figure sitting in the wicker rocking-chair on the porch.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading As she came up the street, Mrs. Pryor had seen, or thought she had seen, a figure sitting in the wicker rocking-chair on the porch.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
PATIENTnounUS /ˈpeɪʃənt/

a person who requires medical care

From this reading DOCTOR STEDMAN'S PATIENT Bright and early the next morning, Mrs. Pryor presented herself at Mrs. Tree's door.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
perhapsadverbUS /pərˈhæps/

by chance

From this reading The chair was empty now, but it was rocking--perhaps with the wind.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
porchnounUS /pɔːrtʃ/

a structure attached to the exterior of a building often forming a covered entrance

From this reading As she came up the street, Mrs. Pryor had seen, or thought she had seen, a figure sitting in the wicker rocking-chair on the porch.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
presentedverbUS /priˈzentɪd/

past form of “present” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience

From this reading DOCTOR STEDMAN'S PATIENT Bright and early the next morning, Mrs. Pryor presented herself at Mrs. Tree's door.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Pryor

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

From this reading DOCTOR STEDMAN'S PATIENT Bright and early the next morning, Mrs. Pryor presented herself at Mrs. Tree's door.

Pending verification
rockingverbUS /ˈrɑːkɪŋ/

-ing form of “rock” — move back and forth or sideways

From this reading The chair was empty now, but it was rocking--perhaps with the wind.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
rocking-chair

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

From this reading As she came up the street, Mrs. Pryor had seen, or thought she had seen, a figure sitting in the wicker rocking-chair on the porch.

Pending verification
seenverbUS /siːn/

inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading As she came up the street, Mrs. Pryor had seen, or thought she had seen, a figure sitting in the wicker rocking-chair on the porch.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading As she came up the street, Mrs. Pryor had seen, or thought she had seen, a figure sitting in the wicker rocking-chair on the porch.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
sittingnounUS /ˈsɪtɪŋ/

(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)

From this reading As she came up the street, Mrs. Pryor had seen, or thought she had seen, a figure sitting in the wicker rocking-chair on the porch.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
softadjectiveUS /sɑːft/

yielding readily to pressure or weight

From this reading It was another Indian summer morning, mild and soft.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
STEDMAN'S

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

From this reading DOCTOR STEDMAN'S PATIENT Bright and early the next morning, Mrs. Pryor presented herself at Mrs. Tree's door.

Pending verification
streetnounUS /striːt/

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

From this reading As she came up the street, Mrs. Pryor had seen, or thought she had seen, a figure sitting in the wicker rocking-chair on the porch.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
summernounUS /ˈsʌmər/

the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox

From this reading It was another Indian summer morning, mild and soft.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading DOCTOR STEDMAN'S PATIENT Bright and early the next morning, Mrs. Pryor presented herself at Mrs. Tree's door.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thoughtnounUS /θɔːt/

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

From this reading As she came up the street, Mrs. Pryor had seen, or thought she had seen, a figure sitting in the wicker rocking-chair on the porch.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Tree's

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

From this reading DOCTOR STEDMAN'S PATIENT Bright and early the next morning, Mrs. Pryor presented herself at Mrs. Tree's door.

Pending verification
upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

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

From this reading As she came up the street, Mrs. Pryor had seen, or thought she had seen, a figure sitting in the wicker rocking-chair on the porch.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
visitor'snounUS /ˈvɪzɪtərz/

possessive form of “visitor” — someone who visits

From this reading Direxia Hawkes answered the visitor's knock.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading It was another Indian summer morning, mild and soft.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
wickernounUS /ˈwɪkər/

slender flexible branches or twigs (especially of willow or some canes); used for wickerwork

From this reading As she came up the street, Mrs. Pryor had seen, or thought she had seen, a figure sitting in the wicker rocking-chair on the porch.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
windnounUS /waɪnd/

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

From this reading The chair was empty now, but it was rocking--perhaps with the wind.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading The chair was empty now, but it was rocking--perhaps with the wind.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

Chapter 16 of Mrs. Tree by Laura Elizabeth Howe Richards holds 204 sentences, grouped into 41 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 16 of Mrs. Tree contain?

Chapter 16 holds 204 sentences of Mrs. Tree, unabridged, divided into 41 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 16 of Mrs. Tree by Laura Elizabeth Howe Richards exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 204 sentences, grouped into 41 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 16 of Mrs. Tree?

Work through the 41 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 41 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 16 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 16 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 Mrs. Tree

Common questions about reading Mrs. Tree by Laura Elizabeth Howe Richards on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Mrs. Tree?

Yes. All 2808 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #30439 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Mrs. Tree is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #30439, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Mrs. Tree take to read?

About 234 minutes of reading across 562 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Mrs. Tree section by section

How to work through Mrs. Tree section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 17 chapters of Mrs. Tree 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 Mrs. Tree

Words and structures a reader meets early in Mrs. Tree, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

They're
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mrs. Tree; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Direxia
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mrs. Tree; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Hawkes
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mrs. Tree; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Market
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mrs. Tree; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.