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The Short Line War
The Short Line War

Chapter XXI · Chapter 21

Chapter 21 of The Short Line War is here in full — 147 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/29 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE TILLMAN CITY STOCK The Governor was a familiar figure in Chicago, and his presence in a hotel lobby ordinarily excited no more than a glance of curious interest from the loungers about the news stand.
The sensation he caused, when he entered the office of the Great Northern on Friday afternoon, was due to the company he brought with him; for on one side walked a pale, nervous, careworn man, who was hardly recognizable as the dapper, self-contained William C. Porter, and on the other, burly as ever, and, though grave, confident as ever, was Jim Weeks.
A man who was registering at the desk watched them as they stepped into an elevator, and then said to the clerk:-- Have you got your furniture well insured?
Because you can bet your life the fur will begin to fly in a few minutes.”
But the conference, which any reporter in Chicago would have given his ears to hear, was a quiet one.
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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 Short Line War

Chapter XXI · Chapter 21

Chapter 21 of The Short Line War is here in full — 147 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/29 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE TILLMAN CITY STOCK The Governor was a familiar figure in Chicago, and his presence in a hotel lobby ordinarily excited no more than a glance of curious interest from the loungers about the news stand.
Line 2
The sensation he caused, when he entered the office of the Great Northern on Friday afternoon, was due to the company he brought with him; for on one side walked a pale, nervous, careworn man, who was hardly recognizable as the dapper, self-contained William C. Porter, and on the other, burly as ever, and, though grave, confident as ever, was Jim Weeks.
Line 3
A man who was registering at the desk watched them as they stepped into an elevator, and then said to the clerk:-- “Have you got your furniture well insured?
/ə mæn huː wɑːz ˈredʒɪstərɪŋ æt ðə desk wɑːtʃt ðem æz ðeɪ stept ˈɪntuː æn ˈeləveɪtər ənd ðen sed tuː ðə klɜːrk hæv juː ɡɑːt jɔːr ˈfɜːrnɪtʃər wel ˌɪnˈʃʊrd/
Line 4
Because you can bet your life the fur will begin to fly in a few minutes.”
/bɪˈkɔːz juː kæn bet jɔːr laɪf ðə fɜːr wɪl bɪˈɡɪn tuː flaɪ ɪn ə fjuː ˈmɪnəts/
Line 5
But the conference, which any reporter in Chicago would have given his ears to hear, was a quiet one.
/bʌt ðə ˈkɑːnfərəns wɪtʃ ˈeni rɪˈpɔːrtər ɪn ʃəˈkɑːɡoʊ wʊd hæv ˈɡɪvən hɪz ɪrz tuː hiːr wɑːz ə ˈkwaɪət wʌn/

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.

burly adjective US /ˈbɜːrli/

muscular and heavily built

From this reading “The sensation he caused, when he entered the office of the Great Northern on Friday afternoon, was due to the company he brought with him; for on one side walked a pale, nervous, careworn man, who was hardly recognizable as the dapper, self-contained William C. Porter, and on the other, burly as ever, and, though grave, confident as ever, was Jim Weeks.”

dapper adjective US /ˈdæpər/

marked by up-to-dateness in dress and manners

From this reading “The sensation he caused, when he entered the office of the Great Northern on Friday afternoon, was due to the company he brought with him; for on one side walked a pale, nervous, careworn man, who was hardly recognizable as the dapper, self-contained William C. Porter, and on the other, burly as ever, and, though grave, confident as ever, was Jim Weeks.”

elevator noun US /ˈeləveɪtər/

lifting device consisting of a platform or cage that is raised and lowered mechanically in a vertical shaft in order to move people from one floor to another in a building

From this reading “A man who was registering at the desk watched them as they stepped into an elevator, and then said to the clerk:-- “Have you got your furniture well insured?”

insured adjective US /ˌɪnˈʃʊrd/

covered by insurance

From this reading “A man who was registering at the desk watched them as they stepped into an elevator, and then said to the clerk:-- “Have you got your furniture well insured?”

lobby noun US /ˈlɑːbi/

a large entrance or reception room or area

From this reading “THE TILLMAN CITY STOCK The Governor was a familiar figure in Chicago, and his presence in a hotel lobby ordinarily excited no more than a glance of curious interest from the loungers about the news stand.”

recognizable adjective US /ˌrekəɡˈnaɪzəbəl/

easily perceived; easy to become aware of

From this reading “The sensation he caused, when he entered the office of the Great Northern on Friday afternoon, was due to the company he brought with him; for on one side walked a pale, nervous, careworn man, who was hardly recognizable as the dapper, self-contained William C. Porter, and on the other, burly as ever, and, though grave, confident as ever, was Jim Weeks.”

registering verb US /ˈredʒɪstərɪŋ/

-ing form of “register” — record in writing; enter into a book of names or events or transactions

From this reading “A man who was registering at the desk watched them as they stepped into an elevator, and then said to the clerk:-- “Have you got your furniture well insured?”

self-contained adjective US /ˈselfkənˈteɪnd/

constituting a complete and independent unit in and of itself

From this reading “The sensation he caused, when he entered the office of the Great Northern on Friday afternoon, was due to the company he brought with him; for on one side walked a pale, nervous, careworn man, who was hardly recognizable as the dapper, self-contained William C. Porter, and on the other, burly as ever, and, though grave, confident as ever, was Jim Weeks.”

All words in this reading · 112

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 THE TILLMAN CITY STOCK The Governor was a familiar figure in Chicago, and his presence in a hotel lobby ordinarily excited no more than a glance of curious interest from the loungers about the news stand.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading THE TILLMAN CITY STOCK The Governor was a familiar figure in Chicago, and his presence in a hotel lobby ordinarily excited no more than a glance of curious interest from the loungers about the news stand.

afternoonnounUS /ˌæftərˈnuːn/

the part of the day between noon and evening

From this reading The sensation he caused, when he entered the office of the Great Northern on Friday afternoon, was due to the company he brought with him; for on one side walked a pale, nervous, careworn man, who was hardly recognizable as the dapper, self-contained William C. Porter, and on the other, burly as ever, and, though grave, confident as ever, was Jim Weeks.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading A man who was registering at the desk watched them as they stepped into an elevator, and then said to the clerk:-- “Have you got your furniture well insured?

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading THE TILLMAN CITY STOCK The Governor was a familiar figure in Chicago, and his presence in a hotel lobby ordinarily excited no more than a glance of curious interest from the loungers about the news stand.

anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading But the conference, which any reporter in Chicago would have given his ears to hear, was a quiet one.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading The sensation he caused, when he entered the office of the Great Northern on Friday afternoon, was due to the company he brought with him; for on one side walked a pale, nervous, careworn man, who was hardly recognizable as the dapper, self-contained William C. Porter, and on the other, burly as ever, and, though grave, confident as ever, was Jim Weeks.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading A man who was registering at the desk watched them as they stepped into an elevator, and then said to the clerk:-- “Have you got your furniture well insured?

BecauseconjunctionUS /bɪˈkɔːz/

for the reason that

From this reading Because you can bet your life the fur will begin to fly in a few minutes.”

beginverbUS /bɪˈɡɪn/

take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading Because you can bet your life the fur will begin to fly in a few minutes.”

betverbUS /bet/

maintain with or as if with a bet

From this reading Because you can bet your life the fur will begin to fly in a few minutes.”

broughtverbUS /brɔːt/

inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere

From this reading The sensation he caused, when he entered the office of the Great Northern on Friday afternoon, was due to the company he brought with him; for on one side walked a pale, nervous, careworn man, who was hardly recognizable as the dapper, self-contained William C. Porter, and on the other, burly as ever, and, though grave, confident as ever, was Jim Weeks.

burlyadjectiveUS /ˈbɜːrli/

muscular and heavily built

From this reading The sensation he caused, when he entered the office of the Great Northern on Friday afternoon, was due to the company he brought with him; for on one side walked a pale, nervous, careworn man, who was hardly recognizable as the dapper, self-contained William C. Porter, and on the other, burly as ever, and, though grave, confident as ever, was Jim Weeks.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But the conference, which any reporter in Chicago would have given his ears to hear, was a quiet one.

CnounUS /siː/

a degree on the centigrade scale of temperature

From this reading The sensation he caused, when he entered the office of the Great Northern on Friday afternoon, was due to the company he brought with him; for on one side walked a pale, nervous, careworn man, who was hardly recognizable as the dapper, self-contained William C. Porter, and on the other, burly as ever, and, though grave, confident as ever, was Jim Weeks.

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading Because you can bet your life the fur will begin to fly in a few minutes.”

carewornadjective

showing the wearing effects of overwork or care or suffering

From this reading The sensation he caused, when he entered the office of the Great Northern on Friday afternoon, was due to the company he brought with him; for on one side walked a pale, nervous, careworn man, who was hardly recognizable as the dapper, self-contained William C. Porter, and on the other, burly as ever, and, though grave, confident as ever, was Jim Weeks.

causedverbUS /kɑːzd/

past form of “cause” — give rise to; cause to happen or occur, not always intentionally

From this reading The sensation he caused, when he entered the office of the Great Northern on Friday afternoon, was due to the company he brought with him; for on one side walked a pale, nervous, careworn man, who was hardly recognizable as the dapper, self-contained William C. Porter, and on the other, burly as ever, and, though grave, confident as ever, was Jim Weeks.

ChicagonounUS /ʃəˈkɑːɡoʊ/

largest city in Illinois; a bustling Great Lakes port that extends 26 miles along the southwestern shoreline of Lake Michigan

From this reading THE TILLMAN CITY STOCK The Governor was a familiar figure in Chicago, and his presence in a hotel lobby ordinarily excited no more than a glance of curious interest from the loungers about the news stand.

CITYnounUS /ˈsɪti/

a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts

From this reading THE TILLMAN CITY STOCK The Governor was a familiar figure in Chicago, and his presence in a hotel lobby ordinarily excited no more than a glance of curious interest from the loungers about the news stand.

clerknounUS /klɜːrk/

an employee who performs clerical work (e.g., keeps records or accounts)

From this reading A man who was registering at the desk watched them as they stepped into an elevator, and then said to the clerk:-- “Have you got your furniture well insured?

companynounUS /ˈkʌmpəniː/

an institution created to conduct business

From this reading The sensation he caused, when he entered the office of the Great Northern on Friday afternoon, was due to the company he brought with him; for on one side walked a pale, nervous, careworn man, who was hardly recognizable as the dapper, self-contained William C. Porter, and on the other, burly as ever, and, though grave, confident as ever, was Jim Weeks.

conferencenounUS /ˈkɑːnfərəns/

a prearranged meeting for consultation or exchange of information or discussion (especially one with a formal agenda)

From this reading But the conference, which any reporter in Chicago would have given his ears to hear, was a quiet one.

confidentadjectiveUS /ˈkɑːnfədənt/

having or marked by confidence or assurance

From this reading The sensation he caused, when he entered the office of the Great Northern on Friday afternoon, was due to the company he brought with him; for on one side walked a pale, nervous, careworn man, who was hardly recognizable as the dapper, self-contained William C. Porter, and on the other, burly as ever, and, though grave, confident as ever, was Jim Weeks.

curiousadjectiveUS /ˈkjʊriəs/

beyond or deviating from the usual or expected

From this reading THE TILLMAN CITY STOCK The Governor was a familiar figure in Chicago, and his presence in a hotel lobby ordinarily excited no more than a glance of curious interest from the loungers about the news stand.

dapperadjectiveUS /ˈdæpər/

marked by up-to-dateness in dress and manners

From this reading The sensation he caused, when he entered the office of the Great Northern on Friday afternoon, was due to the company he brought with him; for on one side walked a pale, nervous, careworn man, who was hardly recognizable as the dapper, self-contained William C. Porter, and on the other, burly as ever, and, though grave, confident as ever, was Jim Weeks.

desknounUS /desk/

a piece of furniture with a writing surface and usually drawers or other compartments

From this reading A man who was registering at the desk watched them as they stepped into an elevator, and then said to the clerk:-- “Have you got your furniture well insured?

dueadjectiveUS /duː/

owed and payable immediately or on demand

From this reading The sensation he caused, when he entered the office of the Great Northern on Friday afternoon, was due to the company he brought with him; for on one side walked a pale, nervous, careworn man, who was hardly recognizable as the dapper, self-contained William C. Porter, and on the other, burly as ever, and, though grave, confident as ever, was Jim Weeks.

earsnounUS /ɪrz/

plural of “ear” — the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium

From this reading But the conference, which any reporter in Chicago would have given his ears to hear, was a quiet one.

elevatornounUS /ˈeləveɪtər/

lifting device consisting of a platform or cage that is raised and lowered mechanically in a vertical shaft in order to move people from one floor to another in a building

From this reading A man who was registering at the desk watched them as they stepped into an elevator, and then said to the clerk:-- “Have you got your furniture well insured?

enteredverbUS /ˈentərd/

past form of “enter” — to come or go into

From this reading The sensation he caused, when he entered the office of the Great Northern on Friday afternoon, was due to the company he brought with him; for on one side walked a pale, nervous, careworn man, who was hardly recognizable as the dapper, self-contained William C. Porter, and on the other, burly as ever, and, though grave, confident as ever, was Jim Weeks.

everadverbUS /ˈevər/

at any time

From this reading The sensation he caused, when he entered the office of the Great Northern on Friday afternoon, was due to the company he brought with him; for on one side walked a pale, nervous, careworn man, who was hardly recognizable as the dapper, self-contained William C. Porter, and on the other, burly as ever, and, though grave, confident as ever, was Jim Weeks.

excitedadjectiveUS /ɪkˈsaɪtəd/

(of persons) excessively affected by emotion

From this reading THE TILLMAN CITY STOCK The Governor was a familiar figure in Chicago, and his presence in a hotel lobby ordinarily excited no more than a glance of curious interest from the loungers about the news stand.

familiaradjectiveUS /fəˈmɪljər/

well known or easily recognized

From this reading THE TILLMAN CITY STOCK The Governor was a familiar figure in Chicago, and his presence in a hotel lobby ordinarily excited no more than a glance of curious interest from the loungers about the news stand.

fewadjectiveUS /fjuː/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number

From this reading Because you can bet your life the fur will begin to fly in a few minutes.”

figurenounUS /ˈfɪɡjər/

a diagram or picture illustrating textual material

From this reading THE TILLMAN CITY STOCK The Governor was a familiar figure in Chicago, and his presence in a hotel lobby ordinarily excited no more than a glance of curious interest from the loungers about the news stand.

flyverbUS /flaɪ/

travel through the air; be airborne

From this reading Because you can bet your life the fur will begin to fly in a few minutes.”

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading The sensation he caused, when he entered the office of the Great Northern on Friday afternoon, was due to the company he brought with him; for on one side walked a pale, nervous, careworn man, who was hardly recognizable as the dapper, self-contained William C. Porter, and on the other, burly as ever, and, though grave, confident as ever, was Jim Weeks.

FridaynounUS /ˈfraɪdi/

the sixth day of the week; the fifth working day

From this reading The sensation he caused, when he entered the office of the Great Northern on Friday afternoon, was due to the company he brought with him; for on one side walked a pale, nervous, careworn man, who was hardly recognizable as the dapper, self-contained William C. Porter, and on the other, burly as ever, and, though grave, confident as ever, was Jim Weeks.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading THE TILLMAN CITY STOCK The Governor was a familiar figure in Chicago, and his presence in a hotel lobby ordinarily excited no more than a glance of curious interest from the loungers about the news stand.

furnounUS /fɜːr/

the dressed hairy coat of a mammal

From this reading Because you can bet your life the fur will begin to fly in a few minutes.”

furniturenounUS /ˈfɜːrnɪtʃər/

furnishings that make a room or other area ready for occupancy

From this reading A man who was registering at the desk watched them as they stepped into an elevator, and then said to the clerk:-- “Have you got your furniture well insured?

givenadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪvən/

acknowledged as a supposition

From this reading But the conference, which any reporter in Chicago would have given his ears to hear, was a quiet one.

glanceverbUS /ɡlæns/

throw a glance at; take a brief look at

From this reading THE TILLMAN CITY STOCK The Governor was a familiar figure in Chicago, and his presence in a hotel lobby ordinarily excited no more than a glance of curious interest from the loungers about the news stand.

gotverbUS /ɡɑːt/

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

From this reading A man who was registering at the desk watched them as they stepped into an elevator, and then said to the clerk:-- “Have you got your furniture well insured?

GovernornounUS /ˈɡʌvərnər/

the head of a state government

From this reading THE TILLMAN CITY STOCK The Governor was a familiar figure in Chicago, and his presence in a hotel lobby ordinarily excited no more than a glance of curious interest from the loungers about the news stand.

gravenounUS /ɡreɪv/

death of a person

From this reading The sensation he caused, when he entered the office of the Great Northern on Friday afternoon, was due to the company he brought with him; for on one side walked a pale, nervous, careworn man, who was hardly recognizable as the dapper, self-contained William C. Porter, and on the other, burly as ever, and, though grave, confident as ever, was Jim Weeks.

GreatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading The sensation he caused, when he entered the office of the Great Northern on Friday afternoon, was due to the company he brought with him; for on one side walked a pale, nervous, careworn man, who was hardly recognizable as the dapper, self-contained William C. Porter, and on the other, burly as ever, and, though grave, confident as ever, was Jim Weeks.

hardlyadverbUS /ˈhɑːrdli/

only a very short time before

From this reading The sensation he caused, when he entered the office of the Great Northern on Friday afternoon, was due to the company he brought with him; for on one side walked a pale, nervous, careworn man, who was hardly recognizable as the dapper, self-contained William C. Porter, and on the other, burly as ever, and, though grave, confident as ever, was Jim Weeks.

Haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading A man who was registering at the desk watched them as they stepped into an elevator, and then said to the clerk:-- “Have you got your furniture well insured?

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading The sensation he caused, when he entered the office of the Great Northern on Friday afternoon, was due to the company he brought with him; for on one side walked a pale, nervous, careworn man, who was hardly recognizable as the dapper, self-contained William C. Porter, and on the other, burly as ever, and, though grave, confident as ever, was Jim Weeks.

hearverbUS /hiːr/

perceive (sound) via the auditory sense

From this reading But the conference, which any reporter in Chicago would have given his ears to hear, was a quiet one.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading The sensation he caused, when he entered the office of the Great Northern on Friday afternoon, was due to the company he brought with him; for on one side walked a pale, nervous, careworn man, who was hardly recognizable as the dapper, self-contained William C. Porter, and on the other, burly as ever, and, though grave, confident as ever, was Jim Weeks.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading THE TILLMAN CITY STOCK The Governor was a familiar figure in Chicago, and his presence in a hotel lobby ordinarily excited no more than a glance of curious interest from the loungers about the news stand.

hotelnounUS /hoʊˈtel/

a building where travelers can pay for lodging and meals and other services

From this reading THE TILLMAN CITY STOCK The Governor was a familiar figure in Chicago, and his presence in a hotel lobby ordinarily excited no more than a glance of curious interest from the loungers about the news stand.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading THE TILLMAN CITY STOCK The Governor was a familiar figure in Chicago, and his presence in a hotel lobby ordinarily excited no more than a glance of curious interest from the loungers about the news stand.

insuredadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈʃʊrd/

covered by insurance

From this reading A man who was registering at the desk watched them as they stepped into an elevator, and then said to the clerk:-- “Have you got your furniture well insured?

interestnounUS /ˈɪntrəst/

a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something

From this reading THE TILLMAN CITY STOCK The Governor was a familiar figure in Chicago, and his presence in a hotel lobby ordinarily excited no more than a glance of curious interest from the loungers about the news stand.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading A man who was registering at the desk watched them as they stepped into an elevator, and then said to the clerk:-- “Have you got your furniture well insured?

Jim

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

From this reading The sensation he caused, when he entered the office of the Great Northern on Friday afternoon, was due to the company he brought with him; for on one side walked a pale, nervous, careworn man, who was hardly recognizable as the dapper, self-contained William C. Porter, and on the other, burly as ever, and, though grave, confident as ever, was Jim Weeks.

lifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading Because you can bet your life the fur will begin to fly in a few minutes.”

lobbynounUS /ˈlɑːbi/

a large entrance or reception room or area

From this reading THE TILLMAN CITY STOCK The Governor was a familiar figure in Chicago, and his presence in a hotel lobby ordinarily excited no more than a glance of curious interest from the loungers about the news stand.

loungers

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

From this reading THE TILLMAN CITY STOCK The Governor was a familiar figure in Chicago, and his presence in a hotel lobby ordinarily excited no more than a glance of curious interest from the loungers about the news stand.

mannounUS /mæn/

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading The sensation he caused, when he entered the office of the Great Northern on Friday afternoon, was due to the company he brought with him; for on one side walked a pale, nervous, careworn man, who was hardly recognizable as the dapper, self-contained William C. Porter, and on the other, burly as ever, and, though grave, confident as ever, was Jim Weeks.

minutesnounUS /ˈmɪnəts/

a written account of what transpired at a meeting

From this reading Because you can bet your life the fur will begin to fly in a few minutes.”

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading THE TILLMAN CITY STOCK The Governor was a familiar figure in Chicago, and his presence in a hotel lobby ordinarily excited no more than a glance of curious interest from the loungers about the news stand.

nervousadjectiveUS /ˈnɜːrvəs/

easily agitated

From this reading The sensation he caused, when he entered the office of the Great Northern on Friday afternoon, was due to the company he brought with him; for on one side walked a pale, nervous, careworn man, who was hardly recognizable as the dapper, self-contained William C. Porter, and on the other, burly as ever, and, though grave, confident as ever, was Jim Weeks.

newsnounUS /nuːz/

information about recent and important events

From this reading THE TILLMAN CITY STOCK The Governor was a familiar figure in Chicago, and his presence in a hotel lobby ordinarily excited no more than a glance of curious interest from the loungers about the news stand.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading THE TILLMAN CITY STOCK The Governor was a familiar figure in Chicago, and his presence in a hotel lobby ordinarily excited no more than a glance of curious interest from the loungers about the news stand.

NorthernadjectiveUS /ˈnɔːrðərn/

in or characteristic of a region of the United States north of (approximately) the Mason-Dixon line

From this reading The sensation he caused, when he entered the office of the Great Northern on Friday afternoon, was due to the company he brought with him; for on one side walked a pale, nervous, careworn man, who was hardly recognizable as the dapper, self-contained William C. Porter, and on the other, burly as ever, and, though grave, confident as ever, was Jim Weeks.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading THE TILLMAN CITY STOCK The Governor was a familiar figure in Chicago, and his presence in a hotel lobby ordinarily excited no more than a glance of curious interest from the loungers about the news stand.

officenounUS /ˈɔːfɪs/

place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed

From this reading The sensation he caused, when he entered the office of the Great Northern on Friday afternoon, was due to the company he brought with him; for on one side walked a pale, nervous, careworn man, who was hardly recognizable as the dapper, self-contained William C. Porter, and on the other, burly as ever, and, though grave, confident as ever, was Jim Weeks.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading The sensation he caused, when he entered the office of the Great Northern on Friday afternoon, was due to the company he brought with him; for on one side walked a pale, nervous, careworn man, who was hardly recognizable as the dapper, self-contained William C. Porter, and on the other, burly as ever, and, though grave, confident as ever, was Jim Weeks.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading The sensation he caused, when he entered the office of the Great Northern on Friday afternoon, was due to the company he brought with him; for on one side walked a pale, nervous, careworn man, who was hardly recognizable as the dapper, self-contained William C. Porter, and on the other, burly as ever, and, though grave, confident as ever, was Jim Weeks.

ordinarilyadverbUS /ˌɔːrdəˈnerəli/

under normal conditions

From this reading THE TILLMAN CITY STOCK The Governor was a familiar figure in Chicago, and his presence in a hotel lobby ordinarily excited no more than a glance of curious interest from the loungers about the news stand.

otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading The sensation he caused, when he entered the office of the Great Northern on Friday afternoon, was due to the company he brought with him; for on one side walked a pale, nervous, careworn man, who was hardly recognizable as the dapper, self-contained William C. Porter, and on the other, burly as ever, and, though grave, confident as ever, was Jim Weeks.

paleadjectiveUS /peɪl/

very light colored; highly diluted with white

From this reading The sensation he caused, when he entered the office of the Great Northern on Friday afternoon, was due to the company he brought with him; for on one side walked a pale, nervous, careworn man, who was hardly recognizable as the dapper, self-contained William C. Porter, and on the other, burly as ever, and, though grave, confident as ever, was Jim Weeks.

PorternounUS /ˈpɔːrtər/

a person employed to carry luggage and supplies

From this reading The sensation he caused, when he entered the office of the Great Northern on Friday afternoon, was due to the company he brought with him; for on one side walked a pale, nervous, careworn man, who was hardly recognizable as the dapper, self-contained William C. Porter, and on the other, burly as ever, and, though grave, confident as ever, was Jim Weeks.

presencenounUS /ˈprezəns/

the state of being present; current existence

From this reading THE TILLMAN CITY STOCK The Governor was a familiar figure in Chicago, and his presence in a hotel lobby ordinarily excited no more than a glance of curious interest from the loungers about the news stand.

quietadjectiveUS /ˈkwaɪət/

characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity

From this reading But the conference, which any reporter in Chicago would have given his ears to hear, was a quiet one.

recognizableadjectiveUS /ˌrekəɡˈnaɪzəbəl/

easily perceived; easy to become aware of

From this reading The sensation he caused, when he entered the office of the Great Northern on Friday afternoon, was due to the company he brought with him; for on one side walked a pale, nervous, careworn man, who was hardly recognizable as the dapper, self-contained William C. Porter, and on the other, burly as ever, and, though grave, confident as ever, was Jim Weeks.

registeringverbUS /ˈredʒɪstərɪŋ/

-ing form of “register” — record in writing; enter into a book of names or events or transactions

From this reading A man who was registering at the desk watched them as they stepped into an elevator, and then said to the clerk:-- “Have you got your furniture well insured?

reporternounUS /rɪˈpɔːrtər/

a person who investigates and reports or edits news stories

From this reading But the conference, which any reporter in Chicago would have given his ears to hear, was a quiet one.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading A man who was registering at the desk watched them as they stepped into an elevator, and then said to the clerk:-- “Have you got your furniture well insured?

self-containedadjectiveUS /ˈselfkənˈteɪnd/

constituting a complete and independent unit in and of itself

From this reading The sensation he caused, when he entered the office of the Great Northern on Friday afternoon, was due to the company he brought with him; for on one side walked a pale, nervous, careworn man, who was hardly recognizable as the dapper, self-contained William C. Porter, and on the other, burly as ever, and, though grave, confident as ever, was Jim Weeks.

sensationnounUS /senˈseɪʃən/

an unelaborated elementary awareness of stimulation

From this reading The sensation he caused, when he entered the office of the Great Northern on Friday afternoon, was due to the company he brought with him; for on one side walked a pale, nervous, careworn man, who was hardly recognizable as the dapper, self-contained William C. Porter, and on the other, burly as ever, and, though grave, confident as ever, was Jim Weeks.

sidenounUS /saɪd/

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

From this reading The sensation he caused, when he entered the office of the Great Northern on Friday afternoon, was due to the company he brought with him; for on one side walked a pale, nervous, careworn man, who was hardly recognizable as the dapper, self-contained William C. Porter, and on the other, burly as ever, and, though grave, confident as ever, was Jim Weeks.

standverbUS /stænd/

be standing; be upright

From this reading THE TILLMAN CITY STOCK The Governor was a familiar figure in Chicago, and his presence in a hotel lobby ordinarily excited no more than a glance of curious interest from the loungers about the news stand.

steppedverbUS /stept/

inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step

From this reading A man who was registering at the desk watched them as they stepped into an elevator, and then said to the clerk:-- “Have you got your furniture well insured?

STOCKnounUS /stɑːk/

the capital raised by a corporation through the issue of shares entitling holders to an ownership interest

From this reading THE TILLMAN CITY STOCK The Governor was a familiar figure in Chicago, and his presence in a hotel lobby ordinarily excited no more than a glance of curious interest from the loungers about the news stand.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading THE TILLMAN CITY STOCK The Governor was a familiar figure in Chicago, and his presence in a hotel lobby ordinarily excited no more than a glance of curious interest from the loungers about the news stand.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE TILLMAN CITY STOCK The Governor was a familiar figure in Chicago, and his presence in a hotel lobby ordinarily excited no more than a glance of curious interest from the loungers about the news stand.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading A man who was registering at the desk watched them as they stepped into an elevator, and then said to the clerk:-- “Have you got your furniture well insured?

thenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading A man who was registering at the desk watched them as they stepped into an elevator, and then said to the clerk:-- “Have you got your furniture well insured?

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading A man who was registering at the desk watched them as they stepped into an elevator, and then said to the clerk:-- “Have you got your furniture well insured?

thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading The sensation he caused, when he entered the office of the Great Northern on Friday afternoon, was due to the company he brought with him; for on one side walked a pale, nervous, careworn man, who was hardly recognizable as the dapper, self-contained William C. Porter, and on the other, burly as ever, and, though grave, confident as ever, was Jim Weeks.

TILLMAN

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

From this reading THE TILLMAN CITY STOCK The Governor was a familiar figure in Chicago, and his presence in a hotel lobby ordinarily excited no more than a glance of curious interest from the loungers about the news stand.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading The sensation he caused, when he entered the office of the Great Northern on Friday afternoon, was due to the company he brought with him; for on one side walked a pale, nervous, careworn man, who was hardly recognizable as the dapper, self-contained William C. Porter, and on the other, burly as ever, and, though grave, confident as ever, was Jim Weeks.

walkedverbUS /wɔːkt/

past form of “walk” — use one's feet to advance; advance by steps

From this reading The sensation he caused, when he entered the office of the Great Northern on Friday afternoon, was due to the company he brought with him; for on one side walked a pale, nervous, careworn man, who was hardly recognizable as the dapper, self-contained William C. Porter, and on the other, burly as ever, and, though grave, confident as ever, was Jim Weeks.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading THE TILLMAN CITY STOCK The Governor was a familiar figure in Chicago, and his presence in a hotel lobby ordinarily excited no more than a glance of curious interest from the loungers about the news stand.

watchedverbUS /wɑːtʃt/

past form of “watch” — look attentively

From this reading A man who was registering at the desk watched them as they stepped into an elevator, and then said to the clerk:-- “Have you got your furniture well insured?

WeeksnounUS /wiːks/

plural of “week” — any period of seven consecutive days

From this reading The sensation he caused, when he entered the office of the Great Northern on Friday afternoon, was due to the company he brought with him; for on one side walked a pale, nervous, careworn man, who was hardly recognizable as the dapper, self-contained William C. Porter, and on the other, burly as ever, and, though grave, confident as ever, was Jim Weeks.

welladverbUS /wel/

(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)

From this reading A man who was registering at the desk watched them as they stepped into an elevator, and then said to the clerk:-- “Have you got your furniture well insured?

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading The sensation he caused, when he entered the office of the Great Northern on Friday afternoon, was due to the company he brought with him; for on one side walked a pale, nervous, careworn man, who was hardly recognizable as the dapper, self-contained William C. Porter, and on the other, burly as ever, and, though grave, confident as ever, was Jim Weeks.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading But the conference, which any reporter in Chicago would have given his ears to hear, was a quiet one.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading The sensation he caused, when he entered the office of the Great Northern on Friday afternoon, was due to the company he brought with him; for on one side walked a pale, nervous, careworn man, who was hardly recognizable as the dapper, self-contained William C. Porter, and on the other, burly as ever, and, though grave, confident as ever, was Jim Weeks.

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading Because you can bet your life the fur will begin to fly in a few minutes.”

William

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

From this reading The sensation he caused, when he entered the office of the Great Northern on Friday afternoon, was due to the company he brought with him; for on one side walked a pale, nervous, careworn man, who was hardly recognizable as the dapper, self-contained William C. Porter, and on the other, burly as ever, and, though grave, confident as ever, was Jim Weeks.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading The sensation he caused, when he entered the office of the Great Northern on Friday afternoon, was due to the company he brought with him; for on one side walked a pale, nervous, careworn man, who was hardly recognizable as the dapper, self-contained William C. Porter, and on the other, burly as ever, and, though grave, confident as ever, was Jim Weeks.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading But the conference, which any reporter in Chicago would have given his ears to hear, was a quiet one.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading A man who was registering at the desk watched them as they stepped into an elevator, and then said to the clerk:-- “Have you got your furniture well insured?

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading A man who was registering at the desk watched them as they stepped into an elevator, and then said to the clerk:-- “Have you got your furniture well insured?

Chapter 21 of The Short Line War by Samuel Merwin holds 147 sentences, grouped into 30 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 21 of The Short Line War contain?

Chapter 21 holds 147 sentences of The Short Line War, unabridged, divided into 30 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 21 of The Short Line War by Samuel Merwin exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 147 sentences, grouped into 30 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 21 of The Short Line War?

Work through the 30 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 30 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 21 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 21 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 Short Line War

Common questions about reading The Short Line War by Samuel Merwin on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Short Line War?

Yes. All 0 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #? are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Short Line War is used?

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

How long does The Short Line War take to read?

About 5 minutes of reading across 0 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Short Line War section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 0 chapters of The Short Line War 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 Short Line War

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

Chapter 1
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Chapter 2
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Chapter 3
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