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The Helpers
The Helpers

Chapter XXXI

Chapter 31 of The Helpers is here in full — 160 sentences across 32 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Francis Lynde • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for The Helpers
Context Illustration Reading 1/32 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
"SHE'S gone to her rest, at last, poor soul, and it's happy she'd be if it wasn't for the childer."
Constance had been waiting through the long hours of the afternoon for Margaret's return from Owen David's shanty on the North Side; waiting for the summons to the death-bed of the mother of Owen David's children.
She had promised to go, wherefore her heart smote her and the ready tears welled up at Margaret's announcement.
"Oh, Margaret!
Why didn't you come for me!"
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.

The Helpers

Chapter XXXI

Chapter 31 of The Helpers is here in full — 160 sentences across 32 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/32 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
"SHE'S gone to her rest, at last, poor soul, and it's happy she'd be if it wasn't for the childer."
Line 2
Constance had been waiting through the long hours of the afternoon for Margaret's return from Owen David's shanty on the North Side; waiting for the summons to the death-bed of the mother of Owen David's children.
Line 3
She had promised to go, wherefore her heart smote her and the ready tears welled up at Margaret's announcement.
Line 4
"Oh, Margaret!
Line 5
Why didn't you come for me!"

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.

announcement noun US /əˈnaʊnsmənt/

a formal public statement

From this reading “She had promised to go, wherefore her heart smote her and the ready tears welled up at Margaret's announcement.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Constance noun US /ˈkɑːnstəns/

a lake in southeastern Germany on the northern side of the Swiss Alps; forms part of the Rhine River

From this reading “Constance had been waiting through the long hours of the afternoon for Margaret's return from Owen David's shanty on the North Side; waiting for the summons to the death-bed of the mother of Owen David's children.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
David's noun US /ˈdeɪvɪdz/

possessive form of “david” — patron saint of Wales (circa 520-600)

From this reading “Constance had been waiting through the long hours of the afternoon for Margaret's return from Owen David's shanty on the North Side; waiting for the summons to the death-bed of the mother of Owen David's children.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Owen noun US /ˈoʊən/

Welsh industrialist and social reformer who founded cooperative communities (1771-1858)

From this reading “Constance had been waiting through the long hours of the afternoon for Margaret's return from Owen David's shanty on the North Side; waiting for the summons to the death-bed of the mother of Owen David's children.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
promised verb US /ˈprɑːməst/

past form of “promise” — make a promise or commitment

From this reading “She had promised to go, wherefore her heart smote her and the ready tears welled up at Margaret's announcement.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
shanty noun US /ˈʃænti/

small crude shelter used as a dwelling

From this reading “Constance had been waiting through the long hours of the afternoon for Margaret's return from Owen David's shanty on the North Side; waiting for the summons to the death-bed of the mother of Owen David's children.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
summons noun US /ˈsʌmənz/

a request to be present

From this reading “Constance had been waiting through the long hours of the afternoon for Margaret's return from Owen David's shanty on the North Side; waiting for the summons to the death-bed of the mother of Owen David's children.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wherefore adverb US /werˈfɔːr/

an old word meaning “why” or “for that reason”

From this reading “She had promised to go, wherefore her heart smote her and the ready tears welled up at Margaret's announcement.”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

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.

North Side noun + noun

the side that is on the north

In this reading “Constance had been waiting through the long hours of the afternoon for Margaret's return from Owen David's shanty on the North Side; waiting for the summons to the death-bed of the mother of Owen David's children.”

2,609 times in 426,211 chapters
poor soul adjective + noun

In this reading “"SHE'S gone to her rest, at last, poor soul, and it's happy she'd be if it wasn't for the childer."”

3,724 times in 426,211 chapters
long hours adjective + noun

In this reading “Constance had been waiting through the long hours of the afternoon for Margaret's return from Owen David's shanty on the North Side; waiting for the summons to the death-bed of the mother of Owen David's children.”

3,253 times in 426,211 chapters
return from verb + particle

In this reading “Constance had been waiting through the long hours of the afternoon for Margaret's return from Owen David's shanty on the North Side; waiting for the summons to the death-bed of the mother of Owen David's children.”

19,842 times in 426,211 chapters
on the North preposition + article + noun counted as “on … north”

In this reading “Constance had been waiting through the long hours of the afternoon for Margaret's return from Owen David's shanty on the North Side; waiting for the summons to the death-bed of the mother of Owen David's children.”

4,236 times in 426,211 chapters

All words in this reading · 60

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.

afternoonnounUS /ˌæftərˈnuːn/

the part of the day between noon and evening

From this reading Constance had been waiting through the long hours of the afternoon for Margaret's return from Owen David's shanty on the North Side; waiting for the summons to the death-bed of the mother of Owen David's children.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading "SHE'S gone to her rest, at last, poor soul, and it's happy she'd be if it wasn't for the childer."

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
announcementnounUS /əˈnaʊnsmənt/

a formal public statement

From this reading She had promised to go, wherefore her heart smote her and the ready tears welled up at Margaret's announcement.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading "SHE'S gone to her rest, at last, poor soul, and it's happy she'd be if it wasn't for the childer."

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading "SHE'S gone to her rest, at last, poor soul, and it's happy she'd be if it wasn't for the childer."

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Constance had been waiting through the long hours of the afternoon for Margaret's return from Owen David's shanty on the North Side; waiting for the summons to the death-bed of the mother of Owen David's children.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
childer

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

From this reading "SHE'S gone to her rest, at last, poor soul, and it's happy she'd be if it wasn't for the childer."

Pending verification
childrennounUS /ˈtʃɪldrən/

plural of “child” — a young person of either sex

From this reading Constance had been waiting through the long hours of the afternoon for Margaret's return from Owen David's shanty on the North Side; waiting for the summons to the death-bed of the mother of Owen David's children.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
comeverbUS /kʌm/

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading Why didn't you come for me!"

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ConstancenounUS /ˈkɑːnstəns/

a lake in southeastern Germany on the northern side of the Swiss Alps; forms part of the Rhine River

From this reading Constance had been waiting through the long hours of the afternoon for Margaret's return from Owen David's shanty on the North Side; waiting for the summons to the death-bed of the mother of Owen David's children.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
David'snounUS /ˈdeɪvɪdz/

possessive form of “david” — patron saint of Wales (circa 520-600)

From this reading Constance had been waiting through the long hours of the afternoon for Margaret's return from Owen David's shanty on the North Side; waiting for the summons to the death-bed of the mother of Owen David's children.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
death-bed

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

From this reading Constance had been waiting through the long hours of the afternoon for Margaret's return from Owen David's shanty on the North Side; waiting for the summons to the death-bed of the mother of Owen David's children.

Pending verification
didn't

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

From this reading Why didn't you come for me!"

Pending verification
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading "SHE'S gone to her rest, at last, poor soul, and it's happy she'd be if it wasn't for the childer."

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Constance had been waiting through the long hours of the afternoon for Margaret's return from Owen David's shanty on the North Side; waiting for the summons to the death-bed of the mother of Owen David's children.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
goverbUS /ɡoʊ/

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading She had promised to go, wherefore her heart smote her and the ready tears welled up at Margaret's announcement.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
goneadjectiveUS /ɡɔːn/

destroyed or killed

From this reading "SHE'S gone to her rest, at last, poor soul, and it's happy she'd be if it wasn't for the childer."

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

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

From this reading Constance had been waiting through the long hours of the afternoon for Margaret's return from Owen David's shanty on the North Side; waiting for the summons to the death-bed of the mother of Owen David's children.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
happyadjectiveUS /ˈhæpi/

enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure

From this reading "SHE'S gone to her rest, at last, poor soul, and it's happy she'd be if it wasn't for the childer."

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
heartnounUS /hɑːrt/

the locus of feelings and intuitions

From this reading She had promised to go, wherefore her heart smote her and the ready tears welled up at Margaret's announcement.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading "SHE'S gone to her rest, at last, poor soul, and it's happy she'd be if it wasn't for the childer."

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
hoursnounUS /ˈaʊərz/

a period of time assigned for work

From this reading Constance had been waiting through the long hours of the afternoon for Margaret's return from Owen David's shanty on the North Side; waiting for the summons to the death-bed of the mother of Owen David's children.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading "SHE'S gone to her rest, at last, poor soul, and it's happy she'd be if it wasn't for the childer."

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading "SHE'S gone to her rest, at last, poor soul, and it's happy she'd be if it wasn't for the childer."

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
it's

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

From this reading "SHE'S gone to her rest, at last, poor soul, and it's happy she'd be if it wasn't for the childer."

Pending verification
lastadjectiveUS /læst/

immediately past

From this reading "SHE'S gone to her rest, at last, poor soul, and it's happy she'd be if it wasn't for the childer."

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
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 Constance had been waiting through the long hours of the afternoon for Margaret's return from Owen David's shanty on the North Side; waiting for the summons to the death-bed of the mother of Owen David's children.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Margaret

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

From this reading "Oh, Margaret!

Pending verification
Margaret's

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

From this reading Constance had been waiting through the long hours of the afternoon for Margaret's return from Owen David's shanty on the North Side; waiting for the summons to the death-bed of the mother of Owen David's children.

Pending verification
mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading Why didn't you come for me!"

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
mothernounUS /ˈmʌðər/

a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)

From this reading Constance had been waiting through the long hours of the afternoon for Margaret's return from Owen David's shanty on the North Side; waiting for the summons to the death-bed of the mother of Owen David's children.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
NorthnounUS /nɔːrθ/

the region of the United States lying to the north of the Mason-Dixon line

From this reading Constance had been waiting through the long hours of the afternoon for Margaret's return from Owen David's shanty on the North Side; waiting for the summons to the death-bed of the mother of Owen David's children.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Constance had been waiting through the long hours of the afternoon for Margaret's return from Owen David's shanty on the North Side; waiting for the summons to the death-bed of the mother of Owen David's children.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
OhnounUS /oʊ/

a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region

From this reading "Oh, Margaret!

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Constance had been waiting through the long hours of the afternoon for Margaret's return from Owen David's shanty on the North Side; waiting for the summons to the death-bed of the mother of Owen David's children.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
OwennounUS /ˈoʊən/

Welsh industrialist and social reformer who founded cooperative communities (1771-1858)

From this reading Constance had been waiting through the long hours of the afternoon for Margaret's return from Owen David's shanty on the North Side; waiting for the summons to the death-bed of the mother of Owen David's children.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
pooradjectiveUS /puːr/

deserving or inciting pity

From this reading "SHE'S gone to her rest, at last, poor soul, and it's happy she'd be if it wasn't for the childer."

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
promisedverbUS /ˈprɑːməst/

past form of “promise” — make a promise or commitment

From this reading She had promised to go, wherefore her heart smote her and the ready tears welled up at Margaret's announcement.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
readyadjectiveUS /ˈredi/

completely prepared or in condition for immediate action or use or progress

From this reading She had promised to go, wherefore her heart smote her and the ready tears welled up at Margaret's announcement.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
restverbUS /rest/

not move; be in a resting position

From this reading "SHE'S gone to her rest, at last, poor soul, and it's happy she'd be if it wasn't for the childer."

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
returnverbUS /rɪˈtɜːrn/

go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before

From this reading Constance had been waiting through the long hours of the afternoon for Margaret's return from Owen David's shanty on the North Side; waiting for the summons to the death-bed of the mother of Owen David's children.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
shantynounUS /ˈʃænti/

small crude shelter used as a dwelling

From this reading Constance had been waiting through the long hours of the afternoon for Margaret's return from Owen David's shanty on the North Side; waiting for the summons to the death-bed of the mother of Owen David's children.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ShepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading She had promised to go, wherefore her heart smote her and the ready tears welled up at Margaret's announcement.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
she'd

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

From this reading "SHE'S gone to her rest, at last, poor soul, and it's happy she'd be if it wasn't for the childer."

Pending verification
SHE'S

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

From this reading "SHE'S gone to her rest, at last, poor soul, and it's happy she'd be if it wasn't for the childer."

Pending verification
SidenounUS /saɪd/

a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location

From this reading Constance had been waiting through the long hours of the afternoon for Margaret's return from Owen David's shanty on the North Side; waiting for the summons to the death-bed of the mother of Owen David's children.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
smote

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

From this reading She had promised to go, wherefore her heart smote her and the ready tears welled up at Margaret's announcement.

Pending verification
soulnounUS /soʊl/

the immaterial part of a person; the actuating cause of an individual life

From this reading "SHE'S gone to her rest, at last, poor soul, and it's happy she'd be if it wasn't for the childer."

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
summonsnounUS /ˈsʌmənz/

a request to be present

From this reading Constance had been waiting through the long hours of the afternoon for Margaret's return from Owen David's shanty on the North Side; waiting for the summons to the death-bed of the mother of Owen David's children.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
tearsnounUS /terz/

the process of shedding tears (usually accompanied by sobs or other inarticulate sounds)

From this reading She had promised to go, wherefore her heart smote her and the ready tears welled up at Margaret's announcement.

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 "SHE'S gone to her rest, at last, poor soul, and it's happy she'd be if it wasn't for the childer."

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
throughprepositionUS /θruː/

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading Constance had been waiting through the long hours of the afternoon for Margaret's return from Owen David's shanty on the North Side; waiting for the summons to the death-bed of the mother of Owen David's children.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading "SHE'S gone to her rest, at last, poor soul, and it's happy she'd be if it wasn't for the childer."

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

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

From this reading She had promised to go, wherefore her heart smote her and the ready tears welled up at Margaret's announcement.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
waitingnounUS /ˈweɪtɪŋ/

the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something)

From this reading Constance had been waiting through the long hours of the afternoon for Margaret's return from Owen David's shanty on the North Side; waiting for the summons to the death-bed of the mother of Owen David's children.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wasn't

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

From this reading "SHE'S gone to her rest, at last, poor soul, and it's happy she'd be if it wasn't for the childer."

Pending verification
welled

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

From this reading She had promised to go, wherefore her heart smote her and the ready tears welled up at Margaret's announcement.

Pending verification
whereforeadverbUS /werˈfɔːr/

an old word meaning “why” or “for that reason”

From this reading She had promised to go, wherefore her heart smote her and the ready tears welled up at Margaret's announcement.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
WhynounUS /waɪ/

the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”

From this reading Why didn't you come for me!"

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading Why didn't you come for me!"

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

Chapter 31 of The Helpers by Francis Lynde holds 160 sentences, grouped into 32 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 31 of The Helpers contain?

Chapter 31 holds 160 sentences of The Helpers, unabridged, divided into 32 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 31 of The Helpers by Francis Lynde exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 160 sentences, grouped into 32 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 31 of The Helpers?

Work through the 32 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 32 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 31 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 31 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 Helpers

Common questions about reading The Helpers by Francis Lynde on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Helpers?

Yes. All 6100 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #45133 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Helpers is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #45133, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Helpers take to read?

About 508 minutes of reading across 1220 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Helpers section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 36 chapters of The Helpers 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 Helpers

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

Forasmuch
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Helpers; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Seemed
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Helpers; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Write
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Helpers; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Those
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Helpers; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.