Chapter I of The Gray Scalp, “A Midnight Attack,” is here in full — 124 sentences across 25 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
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Chapter I
Chapter I of The Gray Scalp, “A Midnight Attack,” is here in full — 124 sentences across 25 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
“Hurrah for Oregon! says I. That’s the place for Denny, and mesilf is the boy who is bound to have a good shlice av the fine lands, and who has a better right?” “What’s the fool talkin’ about? Thar’s no sech place as Oregon, greeny. That kentry thar is called Oregon, and it’s an Injun name, I reckon.” “An Injun name!
Chapter I of The Gray Scalp, “A Midnight Attack,” is here in full — 124 sentences across 25 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/24 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
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.
confined by bonds
From this reading ““Hurrah for Oregon! says I. That’s the place for Denny, and mesilf is the boy who is bound to have a good shlice av the fine lands, and who has a better right?””
being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition
From this reading ““Hurrah for Oregon! says I. That’s the place for Denny, and mesilf is the boy who is bound to have a good shlice av the fine lands, and who has a better right?””
a person who lacks good judgment
From this reading ““What’s the fool talkin’ about?”
a victory cheer
From this reading ““Hurrah for Oregon! says I. That’s the place for Denny, and mesilf is the boy who is bound to have a good shlice av the fine lands, and who has a better right?””
plural of “land” — the land on which real estate is located
From this reading ““Hurrah for Oregon! says I. That’s the place for Denny, and mesilf is the boy who is bound to have a good shlice av the fine lands, and who has a better right?””
a state in northwestern United States on the Pacific
From this reading ““Hurrah for Oregon! says I. That’s the place for Denny, and mesilf is the boy who is bound to have a good shlice av the fine lands, and who has a better right?””
expect, believe, or suppose
From this reading “That kentry thar is called Oregon, and it’s an Injun name, I reckon.””
plural of “say” — the chance to speak
From this reading ““Hurrah for Oregon! says I. That’s the place for Denny, and mesilf is the boy who is bound to have a good shlice av the fine lands, and who has a better right?””
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.
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.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading “Hurrah for Oregon! says I. That’s the place for Denny, and mesilf is the boy who is bound to have a good shlice av the fine lands, and who has a better right?”
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading “What’s the fool talkin’ about?
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading That kentry thar is called Oregon, and it’s an Injun name, I reckon.”
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading “Hurrah for Oregon! says I. That’s the place for Denny, and mesilf is the boy who is bound to have a good shlice av the fine lands, and who has a better right?”
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Thar’s no sech place as Oregon, greeny.
the eleventh month of the civil year; the fifth month of the ecclesiastical year in the Jewish calendar (in July and August)
From this reading “Hurrah for Oregon! says I. That’s the place for Denny, and mesilf is the boy who is bound to have a good shlice av the fine lands, and who has a better right?”
(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another
From this reading “Hurrah for Oregon! says I. That’s the place for Denny, and mesilf is the boy who is bound to have a good shlice av the fine lands, and who has a better right?”
confined by bonds
From this reading “Hurrah for Oregon! says I. That’s the place for Denny, and mesilf is the boy who is bound to have a good shlice av the fine lands, and who has a better right?”
a youthful male person
From this reading “Hurrah for Oregon! says I. That’s the place for Denny, and mesilf is the boy who is bound to have a good shlice av the fine lands, and who has a better right?”
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading That kentry thar is called Oregon, and it’s an Injun name, I reckon.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Hurrah for Oregon! says I. That’s the place for Denny, and mesilf is the boy who is bound to have a good shlice av the fine lands, and who has a better right?”
being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition
From this reading “Hurrah for Oregon! says I. That’s the place for Denny, and mesilf is the boy who is bound to have a good shlice av the fine lands, and who has a better right?”
a person who lacks good judgment
From this reading “What’s the fool talkin’ about?
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading “Hurrah for Oregon! says I. That’s the place for Denny, and mesilf is the boy who is bound to have a good shlice av the fine lands, and who has a better right?”
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading “Hurrah for Oregon! says I. That’s the place for Denny, and mesilf is the boy who is bound to have a good shlice av the fine lands, and who has a better right?”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Thar’s no sech place as Oregon, greeny.
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “Hurrah for Oregon! says I. That’s the place for Denny, and mesilf is the boy who is bound to have a good shlice av the fine lands, and who has a better right?”
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “Hurrah for Oregon! says I. That’s the place for Denny, and mesilf is the boy who is bound to have a good shlice av the fine lands, and who has a better right?”
a victory cheer
From this reading “Hurrah for Oregon! says I. That’s the place for Denny, and mesilf is the boy who is bound to have a good shlice av the fine lands, and who has a better right?”
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “Hurrah for Oregon! says I. That’s the place for Denny, and mesilf is the boy who is bound to have a good shlice av the fine lands, and who has a better right?”
(slang) offensive term for Native Americans
From this reading That kentry thar is called Oregon, and it’s an Injun name, I reckon.”
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “Hurrah for Oregon! says I. That’s the place for Denny, and mesilf is the boy who is bound to have a good shlice av the fine lands, and who has a better right?”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That kentry thar is called Oregon, and it’s an Injun name, I reckon.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That kentry thar is called Oregon, and it’s an Injun name, I reckon.”
plural of “land” — the land on which real estate is located
From this reading “Hurrah for Oregon! says I. That’s the place for Denny, and mesilf is the boy who is bound to have a good shlice av the fine lands, and who has a better right?”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Hurrah for Oregon! says I. That’s the place for Denny, and mesilf is the boy who is bound to have a good shlice av the fine lands, and who has a better right?”
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading That kentry thar is called Oregon, and it’s an Injun name, I reckon.”
not any; not one
From this reading Thar’s no sech place as Oregon, greeny.
a state in northwestern United States on the Pacific
From this reading “Hurrah for Oregon! says I. That’s the place for Denny, and mesilf is the boy who is bound to have a good shlice av the fine lands, and who has a better right?”
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading “Hurrah for Oregon! says I. That’s the place for Denny, and mesilf is the boy who is bound to have a good shlice av the fine lands, and who has a better right?”
expect, believe, or suppose
From this reading That kentry thar is called Oregon, and it’s an Injun name, I reckon.”
precisely, exactly
From this reading “Hurrah for Oregon! says I. That’s the place for Denny, and mesilf is the boy who is bound to have a good shlice av the fine lands, and who has a better right?”
plural of “say” — the chance to speak
From this reading “Hurrah for Oregon! says I. That’s the place for Denny, and mesilf is the boy who is bound to have a good shlice av the fine lands, and who has a better right?”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Thar’s no sech place as Oregon, greeny.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Hurrah for Oregon! says I. That’s the place for Denny, and mesilf is the boy who is bound to have a good shlice av the fine lands, and who has a better right?”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “What’s the fool talkin’ about?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That kentry thar is called Oregon, and it’s an Injun name, I reckon.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Thar’s no sech place as Oregon, greeny.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading That kentry thar is called Oregon, and it’s an Injun name, I reckon.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Hurrah for Oregon! says I. That’s the place for Denny, and mesilf is the boy who is bound to have a good shlice av the fine lands, and who has a better right?”
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “Hurrah for Oregon! says I. That’s the place for Denny, and mesilf is the boy who is bound to have a good shlice av the fine lands, and who has a better right?”
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “Hurrah for Oregon! says I. That’s the place for Denny, and mesilf is the boy who is bound to have a good shlice av the fine lands, and who has a better right?”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “What’s the fool talkin’ about?
which person or people
From this reading “Hurrah for Oregon! says I. That’s the place for Denny, and mesilf is the boy who is bound to have a good shlice av the fine lands, and who has a better right?”
Chapter 1 of The Gray Scalp by Edward Willett holds 124 sentences, grouped into 25 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.
Chapter 1 holds 124 sentences of The Gray Scalp, unabridged, divided into 25 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 1 of The Gray Scalp by Edward Willett exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 124 sentences, grouped into 25 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.
Work through the 25 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 25 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.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 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.
Common questions about reading The Gray Scalp by Edward Willett on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 1740 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #56175 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #56175, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 145 minutes of reading across 348 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Gray Scalp section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 14 chapters of The Gray Scalp to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in The Gray Scalp, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
