Learn English through classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
The Road to Providence
The Road to Providence

Chapter IX · Chapter 9

Chapter 9 of The Road to Providence is here in full — 201 sentences across 41 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Road to Providence
Context Illustration Reading 1/40 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE SONG OF THE MASTER'S GRAIL "In all my long life it have never been gave to me to see anything like Deacon Bostick and his Providence children," said Mother Mayberry, as she stood on the end of the porch with the singer girl's hand in hers.
"He are a-setting on his bench under the tree right by her window, like he always did to listen for her, and every child in the Road is a-huddled up against him like a forlorn lot of little motherless chickens.
He have got little Bettie and Martin Luther on his knees and the rest are just crowded up all around him.
He don't seem to notice any of the rest of us, but looks to 'Liza for everything.
She got him to go to bed at nine o'clock and when Buck and Mr. Petway went to set up for the night they found she'd done made 'Lias and Henny and Bud all lie down by him, one on each side and Bud acrost the foot.
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 Road to Providence

Chapter IX · Chapter 9

Chapter 9 of The Road to Providence is here in full — 201 sentences across 41 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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

Line 1
THE SONG OF THE MASTER'S GRAIL "In all my long life it have never been gave to me to see anything like Deacon Bostick and his Providence children," said Mother Mayberry, as she stood on the end of the porch with the singer girl's hand in hers.
Line 2
"He are a-setting on his bench under the tree right by her window, like he always did to listen for her, and every child in the Road is a-huddled up against him like a forlorn lot of little motherless chickens.
Line 3
He have got little Bettie and Martin Luther on his knees and the rest are just crowded up all around him.
Line 4
He don't seem to notice any of the rest of us, but looks to 'Liza for everything.
Line 5
She got him to go to bed at nine o'clock and when Buck and Mr. Petway went to set up for the night they found she'd done made 'Lias and Henny and Bud all lie down by him, one on each side and Bud acrost the foot.

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.

chickens noun US /ˈtʃɪkənz/

plural of “chicken” — the flesh of a chicken used for food

From this reading “"He are a-setting on his bench under the tree right by her window, like he always did to listen for her, and every child in the Road is a-huddled up against him like a forlorn lot of little motherless chickens.”

Deacon noun US /ˈdiːkən/

a Protestant layman who assists the minister

From this reading “THE SONG OF THE MASTER'S GRAIL "In all my long life it have never been gave to me to see anything like Deacon Bostick and his Providence children," said Mother Mayberry, as she stood on the end of the porch with the singer girl's hand in hers.”

forlorn adjective US /fərˈlɔːrn/

marked by or showing hopelessness

From this reading “"He are a-setting on his bench under the tree right by her window, like he always did to listen for her, and every child in the Road is a-huddled up against him like a forlorn lot of little motherless chickens.”

grail noun US /ɡreɪl/

the object of any prolonged endeavor

From this reading “THE SONG OF THE MASTER'S GRAIL "In all my long life it have never been gave to me to see anything like Deacon Bostick and his Providence children," said Mother Mayberry, as she stood on the end of the porch with the singer girl's hand in hers.”

Liza noun US /ˈliːzə/

similar to the striped mullet and takes its place in the Caribbean region

From this reading “He don't seem to notice any of the rest of us, but looks to 'Liza for everything.”

Luther noun US /ˈluːθər/

German theologian who led the Reformation; believed that salvation is granted on the basis of faith rather than deeds (1483-1546)

From this reading “He have got little Bettie and Martin Luther on his knees and the rest are just crowded up all around him.”

motherless adjective US /ˈmʌðərlɪs/

having no living or known mother

From this reading “"He are a-setting on his bench under the tree right by her window, like he always did to listen for her, and every child in the Road is a-huddled up against him like a forlorn lot of little motherless chickens.”

singer noun US /ˈsɪŋər/

a person who sings

From this reading “THE SONG OF THE MASTER'S GRAIL "In all my long life it have never been gave to me to see anything like Deacon Bostick and his Providence children," said Mother Mayberry, as she stood on the end of the porch with the singer girl's hand in hers.”

All words in this reading · 113

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 "He are a-setting on his bench under the tree right by her window, like he always did to listen for her, and every child in the Road is a-huddled up against him like a forlorn lot of little motherless chickens.

a-huddled

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

From this reading "He are a-setting on his bench under the tree right by her window, like he always did to listen for her, and every child in the Road is a-huddled up against him like a forlorn lot of little motherless chickens.

a-setting

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

From this reading "He are a-setting on his bench under the tree right by her window, like he always did to listen for her, and every child in the Road is a-huddled up against him like a forlorn lot of little motherless chickens.

acrost

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

From this reading She got him to go to bed at nine o'clock and when Buck and Mr. Petway went to set up for the night they found she'd done made 'Lias and Henny and Bud all lie down by him, one on each side and Bud acrost the foot.

againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading "He are a-setting on his bench under the tree right by her window, like he always did to listen for her, and every child in the Road is a-huddled up against him like a forlorn lot of little motherless chickens.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading THE SONG OF THE MASTER'S GRAIL "In all my long life it have never been gave to me to see anything like Deacon Bostick and his Providence children," said Mother Mayberry, as she stood on the end of the porch with the singer girl's hand in hers.

alwaysadverbUS /ˈɔːlweɪz/

at all times; all the time and on every occasion

From this reading "He are a-setting on his bench under the tree right by her window, like he always did to listen for her, and every child in the Road is a-huddled up against him like a forlorn lot of little motherless chickens.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading THE SONG OF THE MASTER'S GRAIL "In all my long life it have never been gave to me to see anything like Deacon Bostick and his Providence children," said Mother Mayberry, as she stood on the end of the porch with the singer girl's hand in hers.

anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading He don't seem to notice any of the rest of us, but looks to 'Liza for everything.

anythingpronounUS /ˈeniθɪŋ/

any thing at all

From this reading THE SONG OF THE MASTER'S GRAIL "In all my long life it have never been gave to me to see anything like Deacon Bostick and his Providence children," said Mother Mayberry, as she stood on the end of the porch with the singer girl's hand in hers.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading "He are a-setting on his bench under the tree right by her window, like he always did to listen for her, and every child in the Road is a-huddled up against him like a forlorn lot of little motherless chickens.

aroundprepositionUS /ərˈaʊnd/

surrounding, or on every side of, something

From this reading He have got little Bettie and Martin Luther on his knees and the rest are just crowded up all around him.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading THE SONG OF THE MASTER'S GRAIL "In all my long life it have never been gave to me to see anything like Deacon Bostick and his Providence children," said Mother Mayberry, as she stood on the end of the porch with the singer girl's hand in hers.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading She got him to go to bed at nine o'clock and when Buck and Mr. Petway went to set up for the night they found she'd done made 'Lias and Henny and Bud all lie down by him, one on each side and Bud acrost the foot.

bednounUS /bed/

a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep

From this reading She got him to go to bed at nine o'clock and when Buck and Mr. Petway went to set up for the night they found she'd done made 'Lias and Henny and Bud all lie down by him, one on each side and Bud acrost the foot.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading THE SONG OF THE MASTER'S GRAIL "In all my long life it have never been gave to me to see anything like Deacon Bostick and his Providence children," said Mother Mayberry, as she stood on the end of the porch with the singer girl's hand in hers.

benchnounUS /bentʃ/

a long seat for more than one person

From this reading "He are a-setting on his bench under the tree right by her window, like he always did to listen for her, and every child in the Road is a-huddled up against him like a forlorn lot of little motherless chickens.

Bettie

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

From this reading He have got little Bettie and Martin Luther on his knees and the rest are just crowded up all around him.

Bostick

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

From this reading THE SONG OF THE MASTER'S GRAIL "In all my long life it have never been gave to me to see anything like Deacon Bostick and his Providence children," said Mother Mayberry, as she stood on the end of the porch with the singer girl's hand in hers.

BuckverbUS /bʌk/

to strive with determination

From this reading She got him to go to bed at nine o'clock and when Buck and Mr. Petway went to set up for the night they found she'd done made 'Lias and Henny and Bud all lie down by him, one on each side and Bud acrost the foot.

BudnounUS /bʌd/

a partially opened flower

From this reading She got him to go to bed at nine o'clock and when Buck and Mr. Petway went to set up for the night they found she'd done made 'Lias and Henny and Bud all lie down by him, one on each side and Bud acrost the foot.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading He don't seem to notice any of the rest of us, but looks to 'Liza for everything.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading "He are a-setting on his bench under the tree right by her window, like he always did to listen for her, and every child in the Road is a-huddled up against him like a forlorn lot of little motherless chickens.

chickensnounUS /ˈtʃɪkənz/

plural of “chicken” — the flesh of a chicken used for food

From this reading "He are a-setting on his bench under the tree right by her window, like he always did to listen for her, and every child in the Road is a-huddled up against him like a forlorn lot of little motherless chickens.

childnounUS /tʃaɪld/

a young person of either sex

From this reading "He are a-setting on his bench under the tree right by her window, like he always did to listen for her, and every child in the Road is a-huddled up against him like a forlorn lot of little motherless chickens.

childrennounUS /ˈtʃɪldrən/

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

From this reading THE SONG OF THE MASTER'S GRAIL "In all my long life it have never been gave to me to see anything like Deacon Bostick and his Providence children," said Mother Mayberry, as she stood on the end of the porch with the singer girl's hand in hers.

crowdedadjectiveUS /ˈkraʊdəd/

overfilled or compacted or concentrated

From this reading He have got little Bettie and Martin Luther on his knees and the rest are just crowded up all around him.

DeaconnounUS /ˈdiːkən/

a Protestant layman who assists the minister

From this reading THE SONG OF THE MASTER'S GRAIL "In all my long life it have never been gave to me to see anything like Deacon Bostick and his Providence children," said Mother Mayberry, as she stood on the end of the porch with the singer girl's hand in hers.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading "He are a-setting on his bench under the tree right by her window, like he always did to listen for her, and every child in the Road is a-huddled up against him like a forlorn lot of little motherless chickens.

don't

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

From this reading He don't seem to notice any of the rest of us, but looks to 'Liza for everything.

doneadjectiveUS /dʌn/

having finished or arrived at completion

From this reading She got him to go to bed at nine o'clock and when Buck and Mr. Petway went to set up for the night they found she'd done made 'Lias and Henny and Bud all lie down by him, one on each side and Bud acrost the foot.

downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading She got him to go to bed at nine o'clock and when Buck and Mr. Petway went to set up for the night they found she'd done made 'Lias and Henny and Bud all lie down by him, one on each side and Bud acrost the foot.

eachdeterminerUS /iːtʃ/

every one of two or more people or things, taken separately

From this reading She got him to go to bed at nine o'clock and when Buck and Mr. Petway went to set up for the night they found she'd done made 'Lias and Henny and Bud all lie down by him, one on each side and Bud acrost the foot.

endnounUS /end/

either extremity of something that has length

From this reading THE SONG OF THE MASTER'S GRAIL "In all my long life it have never been gave to me to see anything like Deacon Bostick and his Providence children," said Mother Mayberry, as she stood on the end of the porch with the singer girl's hand in hers.

everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading "He are a-setting on his bench under the tree right by her window, like he always did to listen for her, and every child in the Road is a-huddled up against him like a forlorn lot of little motherless chickens.

everythingpronounUS /ˈevriθɪŋ/

all things; all of a situation

From this reading He don't seem to notice any of the rest of us, but looks to 'Liza for everything.

footnounUS /fʊt/

the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint

From this reading She got him to go to bed at nine o'clock and when Buck and Mr. Petway went to set up for the night they found she'd done made 'Lias and Henny and Bud all lie down by him, one on each side and Bud acrost the foot.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading "He are a-setting on his bench under the tree right by her window, like he always did to listen for her, and every child in the Road is a-huddled up against him like a forlorn lot of little motherless chickens.

forlornadjectiveUS /fərˈlɔːrn/

marked by or showing hopelessness

From this reading "He are a-setting on his bench under the tree right by her window, like he always did to listen for her, and every child in the Road is a-huddled up against him like a forlorn lot of little motherless chickens.

foundverbUS /faʊnd/

set up or found

From this reading She got him to go to bed at nine o'clock and when Buck and Mr. Petway went to set up for the night they found she'd done made 'Lias and Henny and Bud all lie down by him, one on each side and Bud acrost the foot.

gaveverbUS /ɡeɪv/

inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading THE SONG OF THE MASTER'S GRAIL "In all my long life it have never been gave to me to see anything like Deacon Bostick and his Providence children," said Mother Mayberry, as she stood on the end of the porch with the singer girl's hand in hers.

girl'snounUS /ɡɜːrlz/

possessive form of “girl” — a young female

From this reading THE SONG OF THE MASTER'S GRAIL "In all my long life it have never been gave to me to see anything like Deacon Bostick and his Providence children," said Mother Mayberry, as she stood on the end of the porch with the singer girl's hand in hers.

goverbUS /ɡoʊ/

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

From this reading She got him to go to bed at nine o'clock and when Buck and Mr. Petway went to set up for the night they found she'd done made 'Lias and Henny and Bud all lie down by him, one on each side and Bud acrost the foot.

gotverbUS /ɡɑːt/

inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading He have got little Bettie and Martin Luther on his knees and the rest are just crowded up all around him.

GRAILnounUS /ɡreɪl/

the object of any prolonged endeavor

From this reading THE SONG OF THE MASTER'S GRAIL "In all my long life it have never been gave to me to see anything like Deacon Bostick and his Providence children," said Mother Mayberry, as she stood on the end of the porch with the singer girl's hand in hers.

handnounUS /hænd/

the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb

From this reading THE SONG OF THE MASTER'S GRAIL "In all my long life it have never been gave to me to see anything like Deacon Bostick and his Providence children," said Mother Mayberry, as she stood on the end of the porch with the singer girl's hand in hers.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading THE SONG OF THE MASTER'S GRAIL "In all my long life it have never been gave to me to see anything like Deacon Bostick and his Providence children," said Mother Mayberry, as she stood on the end of the porch with the singer girl's hand in hers.

HepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading "He are a-setting on his bench under the tree right by her window, like he always did to listen for her, and every child in the Road is a-huddled up against him like a forlorn lot of little motherless chickens.

Henny

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

From this reading She got him to go to bed at nine o'clock and when Buck and Mr. Petway went to set up for the night they found she'd done made 'Lias and Henny and Bud all lie down by him, one on each side and Bud acrost the foot.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading "He are a-setting on his bench under the tree right by her window, like he always did to listen for her, and every child in the Road is a-huddled up against him like a forlorn lot of little motherless chickens.

herspronounUS /hərz/

the one or ones belonging to her

From this reading THE SONG OF THE MASTER'S GRAIL "In all my long life it have never been gave to me to see anything like Deacon Bostick and his Providence children," said Mother Mayberry, as she stood on the end of the porch with the singer girl's hand in hers.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading "He are a-setting on his bench under the tree right by her window, like he always did to listen for her, and every child in the Road is a-huddled up against him like a forlorn lot of little motherless chickens.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading THE SONG OF THE MASTER'S GRAIL "In all my long life it have never been gave to me to see anything like Deacon Bostick and his Providence children," said Mother Mayberry, as she stood on the end of the porch with the singer girl's hand in hers.

InprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading THE SONG OF THE MASTER'S GRAIL "In all my long life it have never been gave to me to see anything like Deacon Bostick and his Providence children," said Mother Mayberry, as she stood on the end of the porch with the singer girl's hand in hers.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading "He are a-setting on his bench under the tree right by her window, like he always did to listen for her, and every child in the Road is a-huddled up against him like a forlorn lot of little motherless chickens.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading THE SONG OF THE MASTER'S GRAIL "In all my long life it have never been gave to me to see anything like Deacon Bostick and his Providence children," said Mother Mayberry, as she stood on the end of the porch with the singer girl's hand in hers.

justadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading He have got little Bettie and Martin Luther on his knees and the rest are just crowded up all around him.

kneesnounUS /niːz/

plural of “knee” — hinge joint in the human leg connecting the tibia and fibula with the femur and protected in front by the patella

From this reading He have got little Bettie and Martin Luther on his knees and the rest are just crowded up all around him.

Lias

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

From this reading She got him to go to bed at nine o'clock and when Buck and Mr. Petway went to set up for the night they found she'd done made 'Lias and Henny and Bud all lie down by him, one on each side and Bud acrost the foot.

lieverbUS /laɪ/

be located or situated somewhere; occupy a certain position

From this reading She got him to go to bed at nine o'clock and when Buck and Mr. Petway went to set up for the night they found she'd done made 'Lias and Henny and Bud all lie down by him, one on each side and Bud acrost the foot.

lifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading THE SONG OF THE MASTER'S GRAIL "In all my long life it have never been gave to me to see anything like Deacon Bostick and his Providence children," said Mother Mayberry, as she stood on the end of the porch with the singer girl's hand in hers.

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading THE SONG OF THE MASTER'S GRAIL "In all my long life it have never been gave to me to see anything like Deacon Bostick and his Providence children," said Mother Mayberry, as she stood on the end of the porch with the singer girl's hand in hers.

listenverbUS /ˈlɪsən/

hear with intention

From this reading "He are a-setting on his bench under the tree right by her window, like he always did to listen for her, and every child in the Road is a-huddled up against him like a forlorn lot of little motherless chickens.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

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

From this reading "He are a-setting on his bench under the tree right by her window, like he always did to listen for her, and every child in the Road is a-huddled up against him like a forlorn lot of little motherless chickens.

LizanounUS /ˈliːzə/

similar to the striped mullet and takes its place in the Caribbean region

From this reading He don't seem to notice any of the rest of us, but looks to 'Liza for everything.

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 THE SONG OF THE MASTER'S GRAIL "In all my long life it have never been gave to me to see anything like Deacon Bostick and his Providence children," said Mother Mayberry, as she stood on the end of the porch with the singer girl's hand in hers.

looksnounUS /lʊks/

plural of “look” — the feelings expressed on a person's face

From this reading He don't seem to notice any of the rest of us, but looks to 'Liza for everything.

lotnounUS /lɑːt/

(often followed by “of”) a large number or amount or extent

From this reading "He are a-setting on his bench under the tree right by her window, like he always did to listen for her, and every child in the Road is a-huddled up against him like a forlorn lot of little motherless chickens.

LuthernounUS /ˈluːθər/

German theologian who led the Reformation; believed that salvation is granted on the basis of faith rather than deeds (1483-1546)

From this reading He have got little Bettie and Martin Luther on his knees and the rest are just crowded up all around him.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading She got him to go to bed at nine o'clock and when Buck and Mr. Petway went to set up for the night they found she'd done made 'Lias and Henny and Bud all lie down by him, one on each side and Bud acrost the foot.

MartinnounUS /ˈmɑːrtən/

French bishop who is a patron saint of France (died in 397)

From this reading He have got little Bettie and Martin Luther on his knees and the rest are just crowded up all around him.

MASTER'SnounUS /ˈmæstərz/

possessive form of “master” — an artist of consummate skill

From this reading THE SONG OF THE MASTER'S GRAIL "In all my long life it have never been gave to me to see anything like Deacon Bostick and his Providence children," said Mother Mayberry, as she stood on the end of the porch with the singer girl's hand in hers.

Mayberry

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

From this reading THE SONG OF THE MASTER'S GRAIL "In all my long life it have never been gave to me to see anything like Deacon Bostick and his Providence children," said Mother Mayberry, as she stood on the end of the porch with the singer girl's hand in hers.

mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading THE SONG OF THE MASTER'S GRAIL "In all my long life it have never been gave to me to see anything like Deacon Bostick and his Providence children," said Mother Mayberry, as she stood on the end of the porch with the singer girl's hand in hers.

MothernounUS /ˈmʌðər/

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

From this reading THE SONG OF THE MASTER'S GRAIL "In all my long life it have never been gave to me to see anything like Deacon Bostick and his Providence children," said Mother Mayberry, as she stood on the end of the porch with the singer girl's hand in hers.

motherlessadjectiveUS /ˈmʌðərlɪs/

having no living or known mother

From this reading "He are a-setting on his bench under the tree right by her window, like he always did to listen for her, and every child in the Road is a-huddled up against him like a forlorn lot of little motherless chickens.

MrnounUS /ˈmɪstər/

a form of address for a man

From this reading She got him to go to bed at nine o'clock and when Buck and Mr. Petway went to set up for the night they found she'd done made 'Lias and Henny and Bud all lie down by him, one on each side and Bud acrost the foot.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading THE SONG OF THE MASTER'S GRAIL "In all my long life it have never been gave to me to see anything like Deacon Bostick and his Providence children," said Mother Mayberry, as she stood on the end of the porch with the singer girl's hand in hers.

neveradverbUS /ˈnevər/

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading THE SONG OF THE MASTER'S GRAIL "In all my long life it have never been gave to me to see anything like Deacon Bostick and his Providence children," said Mother Mayberry, as she stood on the end of the porch with the singer girl's hand in hers.

nightnounUS /naɪt/

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading She got him to go to bed at nine o'clock and when Buck and Mr. Petway went to set up for the night they found she'd done made 'Lias and Henny and Bud all lie down by him, one on each side and Bud acrost the foot.

ninenounUS /naɪn/

the cardinal number that is the sum of eight and one

From this reading She got him to go to bed at nine o'clock and when Buck and Mr. Petway went to set up for the night they found she'd done made 'Lias and Henny and Bud all lie down by him, one on each side and Bud acrost the foot.

noticenounUS /ˈnoʊtəs/

an announcement containing information about an event

From this reading He don't seem to notice any of the rest of us, but looks to 'Liza for everything.

o'clockadverbUS /əˈklɑːk/

according to the clock

From this reading She got him to go to bed at nine o'clock and when Buck and Mr. Petway went to set up for the night they found she'd done made 'Lias and Henny and Bud all lie down by him, one on each side and Bud acrost the foot.

OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading THE SONG OF THE MASTER'S GRAIL "In all my long life it have never been gave to me to see anything like Deacon Bostick and his Providence children," said Mother Mayberry, as she stood on the end of the porch with the singer girl's hand in hers.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading THE SONG OF THE MASTER'S GRAIL "In all my long life it have never been gave to me to see anything like Deacon Bostick and his Providence children," said Mother Mayberry, as she stood on the end of the porch with the singer girl's hand in hers.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading She got him to go to bed at nine o'clock and when Buck and Mr. Petway went to set up for the night they found she'd done made 'Lias and Henny and Bud all lie down by him, one on each side and Bud acrost the foot.

Petway

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

From this reading She got him to go to bed at nine o'clock and when Buck and Mr. Petway went to set up for the night they found she'd done made 'Lias and Henny and Bud all lie down by him, one on each side and Bud acrost the foot.

porchnounUS /pɔːrtʃ/

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

From this reading THE SONG OF THE MASTER'S GRAIL "In all my long life it have never been gave to me to see anything like Deacon Bostick and his Providence children," said Mother Mayberry, as she stood on the end of the porch with the singer girl's hand in hers.

ProvidencenounUS /ˈprɑː.və.dəns/

The protective care of God or nature as a spiritual power. (Sự quan phòng, thiên ý phù hộ.)

From this reading THE SONG OF THE MASTER'S GRAIL "In all my long life it have never been gave to me to see anything like Deacon Bostick and his Providence children," said Mother Mayberry, as she stood on the end of the porch with the singer girl's hand in hers.

restverbUS /rest/

not move; be in a resting position

From this reading He have got little Bettie and Martin Luther on his knees and the rest are just crowded up all around him.

rightadverbUS /raɪt/

precisely, exactly

From this reading "He are a-setting on his bench under the tree right by her window, like he always did to listen for her, and every child in the Road is a-huddled up against him like a forlorn lot of little motherless chickens.

RoadnounUS /roʊd/

an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation

From this reading "He are a-setting on his bench under the tree right by her window, like he always did to listen for her, and every child in the Road is a-huddled up against him like a forlorn lot of little motherless chickens.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading THE SONG OF THE MASTER'S GRAIL "In all my long life it have never been gave to me to see anything like Deacon Bostick and his Providence children," said Mother Mayberry, as she stood on the end of the porch with the singer girl's hand in hers.

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading THE SONG OF THE MASTER'S GRAIL "In all my long life it have never been gave to me to see anything like Deacon Bostick and his Providence children," said Mother Mayberry, as she stood on the end of the porch with the singer girl's hand in hers.

seemverbUS /siːm/

give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading He don't seem to notice any of the rest of us, but looks to 'Liza for everything.

setverbUS /set/

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading She got him to go to bed at nine o'clock and when Buck and Mr. Petway went to set up for the night they found she'd done made 'Lias and Henny and Bud all lie down by him, one on each side and Bud acrost the foot.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading THE SONG OF THE MASTER'S GRAIL "In all my long life it have never been gave to me to see anything like Deacon Bostick and his Providence children," said Mother Mayberry, as she stood on the end of the porch with the singer girl's hand in hers.

she'd

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

From this reading She got him to go to bed at nine o'clock and when Buck and Mr. Petway went to set up for the night they found she'd done made 'Lias and Henny and Bud all lie down by him, one on each side and Bud acrost the foot.

sidenounUS /saɪd/

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

From this reading She got him to go to bed at nine o'clock and when Buck and Mr. Petway went to set up for the night they found she'd done made 'Lias and Henny and Bud all lie down by him, one on each side and Bud acrost the foot.

singernounUS /ˈsɪŋər/

a person who sings

From this reading THE SONG OF THE MASTER'S GRAIL "In all my long life it have never been gave to me to see anything like Deacon Bostick and his Providence children," said Mother Mayberry, as she stood on the end of the porch with the singer girl's hand in hers.

SONGnounUS /sɔːŋ/

a short musical composition with words

From this reading THE SONG OF THE MASTER'S GRAIL "In all my long life it have never been gave to me to see anything like Deacon Bostick and his Providence children," said Mother Mayberry, as she stood on the end of the porch with the singer girl's hand in hers.

stoodverbUS /stʊd/

Maintained an upright posture.

From this reading THE SONG OF THE MASTER'S GRAIL "In all my long life it have never been gave to me to see anything like Deacon Bostick and his Providence children," said Mother Mayberry, as she stood on the end of the porch with the singer girl's hand in hers.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE SONG OF THE MASTER'S GRAIL "In all my long life it have never been gave to me to see anything like Deacon Bostick and his Providence children," said Mother Mayberry, as she stood on the end of the porch with the singer girl's hand in hers.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading She got him to go to bed at nine o'clock and when Buck and Mr. Petway went to set up for the night they found she'd done made 'Lias and Henny and Bud all lie down by him, one on each side and Bud acrost the foot.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading THE SONG OF THE MASTER'S GRAIL "In all my long life it have never been gave to me to see anything like Deacon Bostick and his Providence children," said Mother Mayberry, as she stood on the end of the porch with the singer girl's hand in hers.

treenounUS /triː/

a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms

From this reading "He are a-setting on his bench under the tree right by her window, like he always did to listen for her, and every child in the Road is a-huddled up against him like a forlorn lot of little motherless chickens.

underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading "He are a-setting on his bench under the tree right by her window, like he always did to listen for her, and every child in the Road is a-huddled up against him like a forlorn lot of little motherless chickens.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

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

From this reading "He are a-setting on his bench under the tree right by her window, like he always did to listen for her, and every child in the Road is a-huddled up against him like a forlorn lot of little motherless chickens.

uspronounUS /ʌs/

the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading He don't seem to notice any of the rest of us, but looks to 'Liza for everything.

wentverbUS /went/

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

From this reading She got him to go to bed at nine o'clock and when Buck and Mr. Petway went to set up for the night they found she'd done made 'Lias and Henny and Bud all lie down by him, one on each side and Bud acrost the foot.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading She got him to go to bed at nine o'clock and when Buck and Mr. Petway went to set up for the night they found she'd done made 'Lias and Henny and Bud all lie down by him, one on each side and Bud acrost the foot.

windownounUS /ˈwɪndoʊ/

a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air

From this reading "He are a-setting on his bench under the tree right by her window, like he always did to listen for her, and every child in the Road is a-huddled up against him like a forlorn lot of little motherless chickens.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading THE SONG OF THE MASTER'S GRAIL "In all my long life it have never been gave to me to see anything like Deacon Bostick and his Providence children," said Mother Mayberry, as she stood on the end of the porch with the singer girl's hand in hers.

Chapter 9 of The Road to Providence by Maria Thompson Daviess holds 201 sentences, grouped into 41 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, 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 9 of The Road to Providence contain?

Chapter 9 holds 201 sentences of The Road to Providence, unabridged, divided into 41 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 9 of The Road to Providence by Maria Thompson Daviess exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 201 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 9 of The Road to Providence?

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 9 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 9 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 Road to Providence

Common questions about reading The Road to Providence by Maria Thompson Daviess on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Road to Providence?

Yes. All 2089 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #3745 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Road to Providence is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #3745, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Road to Providence take to read?

About 174 minutes of reading across 418 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Road to Providence section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 9 chapters of The Road to Providence 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 Road to Providence

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

Don't
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Road to Providence; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Messing
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Road to Providence; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Around
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Road to Providence; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Kitchen
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Road to Providence; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.