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The Cromptons
The Cromptons

Chapter XX · Chapter 20

Chapter 20 of The Cromptons is here in full — 81 sentences across 17 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Cromptons
Context Illustration Reading 1/16 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
PART SECOND OF REV.
MR.
MASON'S LETTER "I was interrupted yesterday, and hardly know where to begin again, or what I have written, as Jake was a little mixed and went forward and back at times, showing that his memory was, as he said, leaky, but when he struck the child he was bright as a guinea.
'Lil Chile' and 'Honey Bee' he calls her.
He told me of her running into the house to meet the Colonel, with her soiled frock, and her face and hands besmeared with molasses; of her tussle with Mandy Ann, who wanted to wash her face and change her clothes, and of her fine appearance at the last in a white gown, her best, which he had bought and Mandy Ann made not long before, and which the Colonel would not take with him.
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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.

The Cromptons

Chapter XX · Chapter 20

Chapter 20 of The Cromptons is here in full — 81 sentences across 17 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/16 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
PART SECOND OF REV.
/pɑːrt ˈsekənd ʌv rev/
Line 2
MR.
/ˈmɪstər/
Line 3
MASON'S LETTER "I was interrupted yesterday, and hardly know where to begin again, or what I have written, as Jake was a little mixed and went forward and back at times, showing that his memory was, as he said, leaky, but when he struck the child he was bright as a guinea.
Line 4
'Lil Chile' and 'Honey Bee' he calls her.
Line 5
He told me of her running into the house to meet the Colonel, with her soiled frock, and her face and hands besmeared with molasses; of her tussle with Mandy Ann, who wanted to wash her face and change her clothes, and of her fine appearance at the last in a white gown, her best, which he had bought and Mandy Ann made not long before, and which the Colonel would not take with him.

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.

Chile noun US /ˈtʃɪli/

a republic in southern South America on the western slopes of the Andes on the south Pacific coast

From this reading “'Lil Chile' and 'Honey Bee' he calls her.”

frock noun US /frɑːk/

a long, loose outer garment

From this reading “He told me of her running into the house to meet the Colonel, with her soiled frock, and her face and hands besmeared with molasses; of her tussle with Mandy Ann, who wanted to wash her face and change her clothes, and of her fine appearance at the last in a white gown, her best, which he had bought and Mandy Ann made not long before, and which the Colonel would not take with him.”

guinea noun US /ˈɡɪni/

a former British gold coin worth 21 shillings

From this reading “MASON'S LETTER "I was interrupted yesterday, and hardly know where to begin again, or what I have written, as Jake was a little mixed and went forward and back at times, showing that his memory was, as he said, leaky, but when he struck the child he was bright as a guinea.”

leaky adjective US /ˈliːki/

permitting the unwanted passage of fluids or gases

From this reading “MASON'S LETTER "I was interrupted yesterday, and hardly know where to begin again, or what I have written, as Jake was a little mixed and went forward and back at times, showing that his memory was, as he said, leaky, but when he struck the child he was bright as a guinea.”

mason's noun US /ˈmeɪsənz/

possessive form of “mason” — American Revolutionary leader from Virginia whose objections led to the drafting of the Bill of Rights (1725-1792)

From this reading “MASON'S LETTER "I was interrupted yesterday, and hardly know where to begin again, or what I have written, as Jake was a little mixed and went forward and back at times, showing that his memory was, as he said, leaky, but when he struck the child he was bright as a guinea.”

molasses noun US /məˈlæsəz/

thick dark syrup produced by boiling down juice from sugar cane; especially during sugar refining

From this reading “He told me of her running into the house to meet the Colonel, with her soiled frock, and her face and hands besmeared with molasses; of her tussle with Mandy Ann, who wanted to wash her face and change her clothes, and of her fine appearance at the last in a white gown, her best, which he had bought and Mandy Ann made not long before, and which the Colonel would not take with him.”

soiled adjective US /sɔɪld/

soiled or likely to soil with dirt or grime

From this reading “He told me of her running into the house to meet the Colonel, with her soiled frock, and her face and hands besmeared with molasses; of her tussle with Mandy Ann, who wanted to wash her face and change her clothes, and of her fine appearance at the last in a white gown, her best, which he had bought and Mandy Ann made not long before, and which the Colonel would not take with him.”

tussle verb US /ˈtʌsəl/

fight or struggle in a confused way at close quarters

From this reading “He told me of her running into the house to meet the Colonel, with her soiled frock, and her face and hands besmeared with molasses; of her tussle with Mandy Ann, who wanted to wash her face and change her clothes, and of her fine appearance at the last in a white gown, her best, which he had bought and Mandy Ann made not long before, and which the Colonel would not take with him.”

All words in this reading · 91

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 MASON'S LETTER "I was interrupted yesterday, and hardly know where to begin again, or what I have written, as Jake was a little mixed and went forward and back at times, showing that his memory was, as he said, leaky, but when he struck the child he was bright as a guinea.

againadverbUS /əˈɡen/

anew

From this reading MASON'S LETTER "I was interrupted yesterday, and hardly know where to begin again, or what I have written, as Jake was a little mixed and went forward and back at times, showing that his memory was, as he said, leaky, but when he struck the child he was bright as a guinea.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading MASON'S LETTER "I was interrupted yesterday, and hardly know where to begin again, or what I have written, as Jake was a little mixed and went forward and back at times, showing that his memory was, as he said, leaky, but when he struck the child he was bright as a guinea.

Ann

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

From this reading He told me of her running into the house to meet the Colonel, with her soiled frock, and her face and hands besmeared with molasses; of her tussle with Mandy Ann, who wanted to wash her face and change her clothes, and of her fine appearance at the last in a white gown, her best, which he had bought and Mandy Ann made not long before, and which the Colonel would not take with him.

appearancenounUS /əˈpɪrəns/

outward or visible aspect of a person or thing

From this reading He told me of her running into the house to meet the Colonel, with her soiled frock, and her face and hands besmeared with molasses; of her tussle with Mandy Ann, who wanted to wash her face and change her clothes, and of her fine appearance at the last in a white gown, her best, which he had bought and Mandy Ann made not long before, and which the Colonel would not take with him.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading MASON'S LETTER "I was interrupted yesterday, and hardly know where to begin again, or what I have written, as Jake was a little mixed and went forward and back at times, showing that his memory was, as he said, leaky, but when he struck the child he was bright as a guinea.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading MASON'S LETTER "I was interrupted yesterday, and hardly know where to begin again, or what I have written, as Jake was a little mixed and went forward and back at times, showing that his memory was, as he said, leaky, but when he struck the child he was bright as a guinea.

backadverbUS /bæk/

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading MASON'S LETTER "I was interrupted yesterday, and hardly know where to begin again, or what I have written, as Jake was a little mixed and went forward and back at times, showing that his memory was, as he said, leaky, but when he struck the child he was bright as a guinea.

BeenounUS /biː/

any of numerous hairy-bodied insects including social and solitary species

From this reading 'Lil Chile' and 'Honey Bee' he calls her.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading He told me of her running into the house to meet the Colonel, with her soiled frock, and her face and hands besmeared with molasses; of her tussle with Mandy Ann, who wanted to wash her face and change her clothes, and of her fine appearance at the last in a white gown, her best, which he had bought and Mandy Ann made not long before, and which the Colonel would not take with him.

beginverbUS /bɪˈɡɪn/

take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading MASON'S LETTER "I was interrupted yesterday, and hardly know where to begin again, or what I have written, as Jake was a little mixed and went forward and back at times, showing that his memory was, as he said, leaky, but when he struck the child he was bright as a guinea.

besmeared

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

From this reading He told me of her running into the house to meet the Colonel, with her soiled frock, and her face and hands besmeared with molasses; of her tussle with Mandy Ann, who wanted to wash her face and change her clothes, and of her fine appearance at the last in a white gown, her best, which he had bought and Mandy Ann made not long before, and which the Colonel would not take with him.

bestnounUS /best/

the supreme effort one can make

From this reading He told me of her running into the house to meet the Colonel, with her soiled frock, and her face and hands besmeared with molasses; of her tussle with Mandy Ann, who wanted to wash her face and change her clothes, and of her fine appearance at the last in a white gown, her best, which he had bought and Mandy Ann made not long before, and which the Colonel would not take with him.

boughtverbUS /bɑːt/

inflected form of “buy” — obtain by purchase; acquire by means of a financial transaction

From this reading He told me of her running into the house to meet the Colonel, with her soiled frock, and her face and hands besmeared with molasses; of her tussle with Mandy Ann, who wanted to wash her face and change her clothes, and of her fine appearance at the last in a white gown, her best, which he had bought and Mandy Ann made not long before, and which the Colonel would not take with him.

brightadjectiveUS /braɪt/

emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts

From this reading MASON'S LETTER "I was interrupted yesterday, and hardly know where to begin again, or what I have written, as Jake was a little mixed and went forward and back at times, showing that his memory was, as he said, leaky, but when he struck the child he was bright as a guinea.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading MASON'S LETTER "I was interrupted yesterday, and hardly know where to begin again, or what I have written, as Jake was a little mixed and went forward and back at times, showing that his memory was, as he said, leaky, but when he struck the child he was bright as a guinea.

callsnounUS /kɔːlz/

plural of “call” — a telephone connection

From this reading 'Lil Chile' and 'Honey Bee' he calls her.

changeverbUS /tʃeɪndʒ/

cause to change; make different; cause a transformation

From this reading He told me of her running into the house to meet the Colonel, with her soiled frock, and her face and hands besmeared with molasses; of her tussle with Mandy Ann, who wanted to wash her face and change her clothes, and of her fine appearance at the last in a white gown, her best, which he had bought and Mandy Ann made not long before, and which the Colonel would not take with him.

childnounUS /tʃaɪld/

a young person of either sex

From this reading MASON'S LETTER "I was interrupted yesterday, and hardly know where to begin again, or what I have written, as Jake was a little mixed and went forward and back at times, showing that his memory was, as he said, leaky, but when he struck the child he was bright as a guinea.

ChilenounUS /ˈtʃɪli/

a republic in southern South America on the western slopes of the Andes on the south Pacific coast

From this reading 'Lil Chile' and 'Honey Bee' he calls her.

clothesnounUS /kloʊðz/

clothing in general

From this reading He told me of her running into the house to meet the Colonel, with her soiled frock, and her face and hands besmeared with molasses; of her tussle with Mandy Ann, who wanted to wash her face and change her clothes, and of her fine appearance at the last in a white gown, her best, which he had bought and Mandy Ann made not long before, and which the Colonel would not take with him.

ColonelnounUS /ˈkɜːrnəl/

a commissioned military officer in the United States Army or Air Force or Marines who ranks above a lieutenant colonel and below a brigadier general

From this reading He told me of her running into the house to meet the Colonel, with her soiled frock, and her face and hands besmeared with molasses; of her tussle with Mandy Ann, who wanted to wash her face and change her clothes, and of her fine appearance at the last in a white gown, her best, which he had bought and Mandy Ann made not long before, and which the Colonel would not take with him.

facenounUS /feɪs/

the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear

From this reading He told me of her running into the house to meet the Colonel, with her soiled frock, and her face and hands besmeared with molasses; of her tussle with Mandy Ann, who wanted to wash her face and change her clothes, and of her fine appearance at the last in a white gown, her best, which he had bought and Mandy Ann made not long before, and which the Colonel would not take with him.

fineadjectiveUS /faɪn/

being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition

From this reading He told me of her running into the house to meet the Colonel, with her soiled frock, and her face and hands besmeared with molasses; of her tussle with Mandy Ann, who wanted to wash her face and change her clothes, and of her fine appearance at the last in a white gown, her best, which he had bought and Mandy Ann made not long before, and which the Colonel would not take with him.

forwardadverbUS /ˈfɔːrwərd/

at or to or toward the front

From this reading MASON'S LETTER "I was interrupted yesterday, and hardly know where to begin again, or what I have written, as Jake was a little mixed and went forward and back at times, showing that his memory was, as he said, leaky, but when he struck the child he was bright as a guinea.

frocknounUS /frɑːk/

a long, loose outer garment

From this reading He told me of her running into the house to meet the Colonel, with her soiled frock, and her face and hands besmeared with molasses; of her tussle with Mandy Ann, who wanted to wash her face and change her clothes, and of her fine appearance at the last in a white gown, her best, which he had bought and Mandy Ann made not long before, and which the Colonel would not take with him.

gownnounUS /ɡaʊn/

a woman's dress, usually with a close-fitting bodice and a long flared skirt, often worn on formal occasions

From this reading He told me of her running into the house to meet the Colonel, with her soiled frock, and her face and hands besmeared with molasses; of her tussle with Mandy Ann, who wanted to wash her face and change her clothes, and of her fine appearance at the last in a white gown, her best, which he had bought and Mandy Ann made not long before, and which the Colonel would not take with him.

guineanounUS /ˈɡɪni/

a former British gold coin worth 21 shillings

From this reading MASON'S LETTER "I was interrupted yesterday, and hardly know where to begin again, or what I have written, as Jake was a little mixed and went forward and back at times, showing that his memory was, as he said, leaky, but when he struck the child he was bright as a guinea.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading He told me of her running into the house to meet the Colonel, with her soiled frock, and her face and hands besmeared with molasses; of her tussle with Mandy Ann, who wanted to wash her face and change her clothes, and of her fine appearance at the last in a white gown, her best, which he had bought and Mandy Ann made not long before, and which the Colonel would not take with him.

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 He told me of her running into the house to meet the Colonel, with her soiled frock, and her face and hands besmeared with molasses; of her tussle with Mandy Ann, who wanted to wash her face and change her clothes, and of her fine appearance at the last in a white gown, her best, which he had bought and Mandy Ann made not long before, and which the Colonel would not take with him.

hardlyadverbUS /ˈhɑːrdli/

only a very short time before

From this reading MASON'S LETTER "I was interrupted yesterday, and hardly know where to begin again, or what I have written, as Jake was a little mixed and went forward and back at times, showing that his memory was, as he said, leaky, but when he struck the child he was bright as a guinea.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading MASON'S LETTER "I was interrupted yesterday, and hardly know where to begin again, or what I have written, as Jake was a little mixed and went forward and back at times, showing that his memory was, as he said, leaky, but when he struck the child he was bright as a guinea.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading MASON'S LETTER "I was interrupted yesterday, and hardly know where to begin again, or what I have written, as Jake was a little mixed and went forward and back at times, showing that his memory was, as he said, leaky, but when he struck the child he was bright as a guinea.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading 'Lil Chile' and 'Honey Bee' he calls her.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading He told me of her running into the house to meet the Colonel, with her soiled frock, and her face and hands besmeared with molasses; of her tussle with Mandy Ann, who wanted to wash her face and change her clothes, and of her fine appearance at the last in a white gown, her best, which he had bought and Mandy Ann made not long before, and which the Colonel would not take with him.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading MASON'S LETTER "I was interrupted yesterday, and hardly know where to begin again, or what I have written, as Jake was a little mixed and went forward and back at times, showing that his memory was, as he said, leaky, but when he struck the child he was bright as a guinea.

HoneynounUS /ˈhʌni/

a sweet yellow liquid produced by bees

From this reading 'Lil Chile' and 'Honey Bee' he calls her.

housenounUS /haʊs/

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

From this reading He told me of her running into the house to meet the Colonel, with her soiled frock, and her face and hands besmeared with molasses; of her tussle with Mandy Ann, who wanted to wash her face and change her clothes, and of her fine appearance at the last in a white gown, her best, which he had bought and Mandy Ann made not long before, and which the Colonel would not take with him.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading MASON'S LETTER "I was interrupted yesterday, and hardly know where to begin again, or what I have written, as Jake was a little mixed and went forward and back at times, showing that his memory was, as he said, leaky, but when he struck the child he was bright as a guinea.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading He told me of her running into the house to meet the Colonel, with her soiled frock, and her face and hands besmeared with molasses; of her tussle with Mandy Ann, who wanted to wash her face and change her clothes, and of her fine appearance at the last in a white gown, her best, which he had bought and Mandy Ann made not long before, and which the Colonel would not take with him.

interruptedadjectiveUS /ˌɪntərˈʌptɪd/

discontinued temporarily

From this reading MASON'S LETTER "I was interrupted yesterday, and hardly know where to begin again, or what I have written, as Jake was a little mixed and went forward and back at times, showing that his memory was, as he said, leaky, but when he struck the child he was bright as a guinea.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading He told me of her running into the house to meet the Colonel, with her soiled frock, and her face and hands besmeared with molasses; of her tussle with Mandy Ann, who wanted to wash her face and change her clothes, and of her fine appearance at the last in a white gown, her best, which he had bought and Mandy Ann made not long before, and which the Colonel would not take with him.

Jake

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

From this reading MASON'S LETTER "I was interrupted yesterday, and hardly know where to begin again, or what I have written, as Jake was a little mixed and went forward and back at times, showing that his memory was, as he said, leaky, but when he struck the child he was bright as a guinea.

knowverbUS /noʊ/

be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading MASON'S LETTER "I was interrupted yesterday, and hardly know where to begin again, or what I have written, as Jake was a little mixed and went forward and back at times, showing that his memory was, as he said, leaky, but when he struck the child he was bright as a guinea.

lastadjectiveUS /læst/

immediately past

From this reading He told me of her running into the house to meet the Colonel, with her soiled frock, and her face and hands besmeared with molasses; of her tussle with Mandy Ann, who wanted to wash her face and change her clothes, and of her fine appearance at the last in a white gown, her best, which he had bought and Mandy Ann made not long before, and which the Colonel would not take with him.

leakyadjectiveUS /ˈliːki/

permitting the unwanted passage of fluids or gases

From this reading MASON'S LETTER "I was interrupted yesterday, and hardly know where to begin again, or what I have written, as Jake was a little mixed and went forward and back at times, showing that his memory was, as he said, leaky, but when he struck the child he was bright as a guinea.

LETTERnounUS /ˈletər/

a written message addressed to a person or organization

From this reading MASON'S LETTER "I was interrupted yesterday, and hardly know where to begin again, or what I have written, as Jake was a little mixed and went forward and back at times, showing that his memory was, as he said, leaky, but when he struck the child he was bright as a guinea.

Lil

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

From this reading 'Lil Chile' and 'Honey Bee' he calls her.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

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

From this reading MASON'S LETTER "I was interrupted yesterday, and hardly know where to begin again, or what I have written, as Jake was a little mixed and went forward and back at times, showing that his memory was, as he said, leaky, but when he struck the child he was bright as a guinea.

longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading He told me of her running into the house to meet the Colonel, with her soiled frock, and her face and hands besmeared with molasses; of her tussle with Mandy Ann, who wanted to wash her face and change her clothes, and of her fine appearance at the last in a white gown, her best, which he had bought and Mandy Ann made not long before, and which the Colonel would not take with him.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading He told me of her running into the house to meet the Colonel, with her soiled frock, and her face and hands besmeared with molasses; of her tussle with Mandy Ann, who wanted to wash her face and change her clothes, and of her fine appearance at the last in a white gown, her best, which he had bought and Mandy Ann made not long before, and which the Colonel would not take with him.

Mandy

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

From this reading He told me of her running into the house to meet the Colonel, with her soiled frock, and her face and hands besmeared with molasses; of her tussle with Mandy Ann, who wanted to wash her face and change her clothes, and of her fine appearance at the last in a white gown, her best, which he had bought and Mandy Ann made not long before, and which the Colonel would not take with him.

MASON'SnounUS /ˈmeɪsənz/

possessive form of “mason” — American Revolutionary leader from Virginia whose objections led to the drafting of the Bill of Rights (1725-1792)

From this reading MASON'S LETTER "I was interrupted yesterday, and hardly know where to begin again, or what I have written, as Jake was a little mixed and went forward and back at times, showing that his memory was, as he said, leaky, but when he struck the child he was bright as a guinea.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading He told me of her running into the house to meet the Colonel, with her soiled frock, and her face and hands besmeared with molasses; of her tussle with Mandy Ann, who wanted to wash her face and change her clothes, and of her fine appearance at the last in a white gown, her best, which he had bought and Mandy Ann made not long before, and which the Colonel would not take with him.

meetverbUS /miːt/

come together

From this reading He told me of her running into the house to meet the Colonel, with her soiled frock, and her face and hands besmeared with molasses; of her tussle with Mandy Ann, who wanted to wash her face and change her clothes, and of her fine appearance at the last in a white gown, her best, which he had bought and Mandy Ann made not long before, and which the Colonel would not take with him.

memorynounUS /ˈmem.ər.i/

The faculty by which the mind stores and remembers information and knowledge.

From this reading MASON'S LETTER "I was interrupted yesterday, and hardly know where to begin again, or what I have written, as Jake was a little mixed and went forward and back at times, showing that his memory was, as he said, leaky, but when he struck the child he was bright as a guinea.

mixedadjectiveUS /mɪkst/

consisting of a haphazard assortment of different kinds

From this reading MASON'S LETTER "I was interrupted yesterday, and hardly know where to begin again, or what I have written, as Jake was a little mixed and went forward and back at times, showing that his memory was, as he said, leaky, but when he struck the child he was bright as a guinea.

molassesnounUS /məˈlæsəz/

thick dark syrup produced by boiling down juice from sugar cane; especially during sugar refining

From this reading He told me of her running into the house to meet the Colonel, with her soiled frock, and her face and hands besmeared with molasses; of her tussle with Mandy Ann, who wanted to wash her face and change her clothes, and of her fine appearance at the last in a white gown, her best, which he had bought and Mandy Ann made not long before, and which the Colonel would not take with him.

MRnounUS /ˈmɪstər/

a form of address for a man

From this reading MR.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading He told me of her running into the house to meet the Colonel, with her soiled frock, and her face and hands besmeared with molasses; of her tussle with Mandy Ann, who wanted to wash her face and change her clothes, and of her fine appearance at the last in a white gown, her best, which he had bought and Mandy Ann made not long before, and which the Colonel would not take with him.

OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading PART SECOND OF REV.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading MASON'S LETTER "I was interrupted yesterday, and hardly know where to begin again, or what I have written, as Jake was a little mixed and went forward and back at times, showing that his memory was, as he said, leaky, but when he struck the child he was bright as a guinea.

PARTnounUS /pɑːrt/

something determined in relation to something that includes it

From this reading PART SECOND OF REV.

REVverbUS /rev/

increase the number of rotations per minute

From this reading PART SECOND OF REV.

runningadjectiveUS /ˈrʌnɪŋ/

(of fluids) moving or issuing in a stream

From this reading He told me of her running into the house to meet the Colonel, with her soiled frock, and her face and hands besmeared with molasses; of her tussle with Mandy Ann, who wanted to wash her face and change her clothes, and of her fine appearance at the last in a white gown, her best, which he had bought and Mandy Ann made not long before, and which the Colonel would not take with him.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading MASON'S LETTER "I was interrupted yesterday, and hardly know where to begin again, or what I have written, as Jake was a little mixed and went forward and back at times, showing that his memory was, as he said, leaky, but when he struck the child he was bright as a guinea.

SECONDnounUS /ˈsekənd/

1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites

From this reading PART SECOND OF REV.

showingnounUS /ˈʃoʊɪŋ/

the display of a motion picture

From this reading MASON'S LETTER "I was interrupted yesterday, and hardly know where to begin again, or what I have written, as Jake was a little mixed and went forward and back at times, showing that his memory was, as he said, leaky, but when he struck the child he was bright as a guinea.

soiledadjectiveUS /sɔɪld/

soiled or likely to soil with dirt or grime

From this reading He told me of her running into the house to meet the Colonel, with her soiled frock, and her face and hands besmeared with molasses; of her tussle with Mandy Ann, who wanted to wash her face and change her clothes, and of her fine appearance at the last in a white gown, her best, which he had bought and Mandy Ann made not long before, and which the Colonel would not take with him.

struckadjectiveUS /strʌk/

(used in combination) affected by something overwhelming

From this reading MASON'S LETTER "I was interrupted yesterday, and hardly know where to begin again, or what I have written, as Jake was a little mixed and went forward and back at times, showing that his memory was, as he said, leaky, but when he struck the child he was bright as a guinea.

takeverbUS /teɪk/

carry out

From this reading He told me of her running into the house to meet the Colonel, with her soiled frock, and her face and hands besmeared with molasses; of her tussle with Mandy Ann, who wanted to wash her face and change her clothes, and of her fine appearance at the last in a white gown, her best, which he had bought and Mandy Ann made not long before, and which the Colonel would not take with him.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading MASON'S LETTER "I was interrupted yesterday, and hardly know where to begin again, or what I have written, as Jake was a little mixed and went forward and back at times, showing that his memory was, as he said, leaky, but when he struck the child he was bright as a guinea.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading MASON'S LETTER "I was interrupted yesterday, and hardly know where to begin again, or what I have written, as Jake was a little mixed and went forward and back at times, showing that his memory was, as he said, leaky, but when he struck the child he was bright as a guinea.

timesnounUS /taɪmz/

a more or less definite period of time now or previously present

From this reading MASON'S LETTER "I was interrupted yesterday, and hardly know where to begin again, or what I have written, as Jake was a little mixed and went forward and back at times, showing that his memory was, as he said, leaky, but when he struck the child he was bright as a guinea.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading MASON'S LETTER "I was interrupted yesterday, and hardly know where to begin again, or what I have written, as Jake was a little mixed and went forward and back at times, showing that his memory was, as he said, leaky, but when he struck the child he was bright as a guinea.

toldverbUS /toʊld/

inflected form of “tell” — express in words

From this reading He told me of her running into the house to meet the Colonel, with her soiled frock, and her face and hands besmeared with molasses; of her tussle with Mandy Ann, who wanted to wash her face and change her clothes, and of her fine appearance at the last in a white gown, her best, which he had bought and Mandy Ann made not long before, and which the Colonel would not take with him.

tussleverbUS /ˈtʌsəl/

fight or struggle in a confused way at close quarters

From this reading He told me of her running into the house to meet the Colonel, with her soiled frock, and her face and hands besmeared with molasses; of her tussle with Mandy Ann, who wanted to wash her face and change her clothes, and of her fine appearance at the last in a white gown, her best, which he had bought and Mandy Ann made not long before, and which the Colonel would not take with him.

wantedadjectiveUS /ˈwɔːntɪd/

desired or wished for or sought

From this reading He told me of her running into the house to meet the Colonel, with her soiled frock, and her face and hands besmeared with molasses; of her tussle with Mandy Ann, who wanted to wash her face and change her clothes, and of her fine appearance at the last in a white gown, her best, which he had bought and Mandy Ann made not long before, and which the Colonel would not take with him.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading MASON'S LETTER "I was interrupted yesterday, and hardly know where to begin again, or what I have written, as Jake was a little mixed and went forward and back at times, showing that his memory was, as he said, leaky, but when he struck the child he was bright as a guinea.

washverbUS /wɑːʃ/

clean with some chemical process

From this reading He told me of her running into the house to meet the Colonel, with her soiled frock, and her face and hands besmeared with molasses; of her tussle with Mandy Ann, who wanted to wash her face and change her clothes, and of her fine appearance at the last in a white gown, her best, which he had bought and Mandy Ann made not long before, and which the Colonel would not take with him.

wentverbUS /went/

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

From this reading MASON'S LETTER "I was interrupted yesterday, and hardly know where to begin again, or what I have written, as Jake was a little mixed and went forward and back at times, showing that his memory was, as he said, leaky, but when he struck the child he was bright as a guinea.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading MASON'S LETTER "I was interrupted yesterday, and hardly know where to begin again, or what I have written, as Jake was a little mixed and went forward and back at times, showing that his memory was, as he said, leaky, but when he struck the child he was bright as a guinea.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading MASON'S LETTER "I was interrupted yesterday, and hardly know where to begin again, or what I have written, as Jake was a little mixed and went forward and back at times, showing that his memory was, as he said, leaky, but when he struck the child he was bright as a guinea.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading MASON'S LETTER "I was interrupted yesterday, and hardly know where to begin again, or what I have written, as Jake was a little mixed and went forward and back at times, showing that his memory was, as he said, leaky, but when he struck the child he was bright as a guinea.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading He told me of her running into the house to meet the Colonel, with her soiled frock, and her face and hands besmeared with molasses; of her tussle with Mandy Ann, who wanted to wash her face and change her clothes, and of her fine appearance at the last in a white gown, her best, which he had bought and Mandy Ann made not long before, and which the Colonel would not take with him.

whitenounUS /waɪt/

a Caucasian

From this reading He told me of her running into the house to meet the Colonel, with her soiled frock, and her face and hands besmeared with molasses; of her tussle with Mandy Ann, who wanted to wash her face and change her clothes, and of her fine appearance at the last in a white gown, her best, which he had bought and Mandy Ann made not long before, and which the Colonel would not take with him.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading He told me of her running into the house to meet the Colonel, with her soiled frock, and her face and hands besmeared with molasses; of her tussle with Mandy Ann, who wanted to wash her face and change her clothes, and of her fine appearance at the last in a white gown, her best, which he had bought and Mandy Ann made not long before, and which the Colonel would not take with him.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading He told me of her running into the house to meet the Colonel, with her soiled frock, and her face and hands besmeared with molasses; of her tussle with Mandy Ann, who wanted to wash her face and change her clothes, and of her fine appearance at the last in a white gown, her best, which he had bought and Mandy Ann made not long before, and which the Colonel would not take with him.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading He told me of her running into the house to meet the Colonel, with her soiled frock, and her face and hands besmeared with molasses; of her tussle with Mandy Ann, who wanted to wash her face and change her clothes, and of her fine appearance at the last in a white gown, her best, which he had bought and Mandy Ann made not long before, and which the Colonel would not take with him.

writtenadjectiveUS /ˈrɪtən/

set down in writing in any of various ways

From this reading MASON'S LETTER "I was interrupted yesterday, and hardly know where to begin again, or what I have written, as Jake was a little mixed and went forward and back at times, showing that his memory was, as he said, leaky, but when he struck the child he was bright as a guinea.

yesterdaynounUS /ˈjestərdeɪ/

the day immediately before today

From this reading MASON'S LETTER "I was interrupted yesterday, and hardly know where to begin again, or what I have written, as Jake was a little mixed and went forward and back at times, showing that his memory was, as he said, leaky, but when he struck the child he was bright as a guinea.

Chapter 20 of The Cromptons by Mary Jane Holmes holds 81 sentences, grouped into 17 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 20 of The Cromptons contain?

Chapter 20 holds 81 sentences of The Cromptons, unabridged, divided into 17 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 20 of The Cromptons by Mary Jane Holmes exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 81 sentences, grouped into 17 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 20 of The Cromptons?

Work through the 17 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 17 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 20 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 20 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 The Cromptons

Common questions about reading The Cromptons by Mary Jane Holmes on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Cromptons?

Yes. All 5027 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #16138 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Cromptons is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #16138, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Cromptons take to read?

About 418 minutes of reading across 1006 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Cromptons section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 37 chapters of The Cromptons 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 The Cromptons

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Cromptons, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Steamer
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Cromptons; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Hatty
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Cromptons; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Plied
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Cromptons; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Between
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Cromptons; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.