Chapter 16 of The Talking Leaves: An Indian Story is here in full — 172 sentences across 35 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XVI
Chapter 16 of The Talking Leaves: An Indian Story is here in full — 172 sentences across 35 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
If To-la-go-to-de and his Lipans had moved forward just a little earlier that morning, they might have been in time to witness the departure of Captain Skinner and his men on their ill-advised expedition. As it was, they were astonished enough by what they saw. "Pale-faces." "Big wagons." "Much horse.
Chapter 16 of The Talking Leaves: An Indian Story is here in full — 172 sentences across 35 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/34 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.
filled with the emotional impact of overwhelming surprise or shock
From this reading “As it was, they were astonished enough by what they saw.”
the act of departing
From this reading “If To-la-go-to-de and his Lipans had moved forward just a little earlier that morning, they might have been in time to witness the departure of Captain Skinner and his men on their ill-advised expedition.”
earlier in time; previously
From this reading “If To-la-go-to-de and his Lipans had moved forward just a little earlier that morning, they might have been in time to witness the departure of Captain Skinner and his men on their ill-advised expedition.”
a military campaign designed to achieve a specific objective in a foreign country
From this reading “If To-la-go-to-de and his Lipans had moved forward just a little earlier that morning, they might have been in time to witness the departure of Captain Skinner and his men on their ill-advised expedition.”
being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion
From this reading “If To-la-go-to-de and his Lipans had moved forward just a little earlier that morning, they might have been in time to witness the departure of Captain Skinner and his men on their ill-advised expedition.”
United States actor (1858-1942)
From this reading “If To-la-go-to-de and his Lipans had moved forward just a little earlier that morning, they might have been in time to witness the departure of Captain Skinner and his men on their ill-advised expedition.”
plural of “wagon” — any of various kinds of wheeled vehicles drawn by an animal or a tractor
From this reading “"Big wagons."”
someone who sees an event and reports what happened
From this reading “If To-la-go-to-de and his Lipans had moved forward just a little earlier that morning, they might have been in time to witness the departure of Captain Skinner and his men on their ill-advised expedition.”
Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.
Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading If To-la-go-to-de and his Lipans had moved forward just a little earlier that morning, they might have been in time to witness the departure of Captain Skinner and his men on their ill-advised expedition.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading If To-la-go-to-de and his Lipans had moved forward just a little earlier that morning, they might have been in time to witness the departure of Captain Skinner and his men on their ill-advised expedition.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As it was, they were astonished enough by what they saw.
filled with the emotional impact of overwhelming surprise or shock
From this reading As it was, they were astonished enough by what they saw.
the past participle of “be”
From this reading If To-la-go-to-de and his Lipans had moved forward just a little earlier that morning, they might have been in time to witness the departure of Captain Skinner and his men on their ill-advised expedition.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading "Big wagons."
showing who or what does the action
From this reading As it was, they were astonished enough by what they saw.
an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading If To-la-go-to-de and his Lipans had moved forward just a little earlier that morning, they might have been in time to witness the departure of Captain Skinner and his men on their ill-advised expedition.
the act of departing
From this reading If To-la-go-to-de and his Lipans had moved forward just a little earlier that morning, they might have been in time to witness the departure of Captain Skinner and his men on their ill-advised expedition.
earlier in time; previously
From this reading If To-la-go-to-de and his Lipans had moved forward just a little earlier that morning, they might have been in time to witness the departure of Captain Skinner and his men on their ill-advised expedition.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading As it was, they were astonished enough by what they saw.
a military campaign designed to achieve a specific objective in a foreign country
From this reading If To-la-go-to-de and his Lipans had moved forward just a little earlier that morning, they might have been in time to witness the departure of Captain Skinner and his men on their ill-advised expedition.
at or to or toward the front
From this reading If To-la-go-to-de and his Lipans had moved forward just a little earlier that morning, they might have been in time to witness the departure of Captain Skinner and his men on their ill-advised expedition.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading If To-la-go-to-de and his Lipans had moved forward just a little earlier that morning, they might have been in time to witness the departure of Captain Skinner and his men on their ill-advised expedition.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading If To-la-go-to-de and his Lipans had moved forward just a little earlier that morning, they might have been in time to witness the departure of Captain Skinner and his men on their ill-advised expedition.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading If To-la-go-to-de and his Lipans had moved forward just a little earlier that morning, they might have been in time to witness the departure of Captain Skinner and his men on their ill-advised expedition.
solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times
From this reading "Much horse.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If To-la-go-to-de and his Lipans had moved forward just a little earlier that morning, they might have been in time to witness the departure of Captain Skinner and his men on their ill-advised expedition.
without careful prior deliberation or counsel
From this reading If To-la-go-to-de and his Lipans had moved forward just a little earlier that morning, they might have been in time to witness the departure of Captain Skinner and his men on their ill-advised expedition.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading If To-la-go-to-de and his Lipans had moved forward just a little earlier that morning, they might have been in time to witness the departure of Captain Skinner and his men on their ill-advised expedition.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading As it was, they were astonished enough by what they saw.
and nothing more
From this reading If To-la-go-to-de and his Lipans had moved forward just a little earlier that morning, they might have been in time to witness the departure of Captain Skinner and his men on their ill-advised expedition.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If To-la-go-to-de and his Lipans had moved forward just a little earlier that morning, they might have been in time to witness the departure of Captain Skinner and his men on their ill-advised expedition.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading If To-la-go-to-de and his Lipans had moved forward just a little earlier that morning, they might have been in time to witness the departure of Captain Skinner and his men on their ill-advised expedition.
the force of workers available
From this reading If To-la-go-to-de and his Lipans had moved forward just a little earlier that morning, they might have been in time to witness the departure of Captain Skinner and his men on their ill-advised expedition.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading If To-la-go-to-de and his Lipans had moved forward just a little earlier that morning, they might have been in time to witness the departure of Captain Skinner and his men on their ill-advised expedition.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading If To-la-go-to-de and his Lipans had moved forward just a little earlier that morning, they might have been in time to witness the departure of Captain Skinner and his men on their ill-advised expedition.
being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion
From this reading If To-la-go-to-de and his Lipans had moved forward just a little earlier that morning, they might have been in time to witness the departure of Captain Skinner and his men on their ill-advised expedition.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading "Much horse.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading If To-la-go-to-de and his Lipans had moved forward just a little earlier that morning, they might have been in time to witness the departure of Captain Skinner and his men on their ill-advised expedition.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading If To-la-go-to-de and his Lipans had moved forward just a little earlier that morning, they might have been in time to witness the departure of Captain Skinner and his men on their ill-advised expedition.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Pale-faces."
cut with a saw
From this reading As it was, they were astonished enough by what they saw.
United States actor (1858-1942)
From this reading If To-la-go-to-de and his Lipans had moved forward just a little earlier that morning, they might have been in time to witness the departure of Captain Skinner and his men on their ill-advised expedition.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading If To-la-go-to-de and his Lipans had moved forward just a little earlier that morning, they might have been in time to witness the departure of Captain Skinner and his men on their ill-advised expedition.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading If To-la-go-to-de and his Lipans had moved forward just a little earlier that morning, they might have been in time to witness the departure of Captain Skinner and his men on their ill-advised expedition.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading If To-la-go-to-de and his Lipans had moved forward just a little earlier that morning, they might have been in time to witness the departure of Captain Skinner and his men on their ill-advised expedition.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading If To-la-go-to-de and his Lipans had moved forward just a little earlier that morning, they might have been in time to witness the departure of Captain Skinner and his men on their ill-advised expedition.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading If To-la-go-to-de and his Lipans had moved forward just a little earlier that morning, they might have been in time to witness the departure of Captain Skinner and his men on their ill-advised expedition.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading If To-la-go-to-de and his Lipans had moved forward just a little earlier that morning, they might have been in time to witness the departure of Captain Skinner and his men on their ill-advised expedition.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If To-la-go-to-de and his Lipans had moved forward just a little earlier that morning, they might have been in time to witness the departure of Captain Skinner and his men on their ill-advised expedition.
plural of “wagon” — any of various kinds of wheeled vehicles drawn by an animal or a tractor
From this reading "Big wagons."
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading As it was, they were astonished enough by what they saw.
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading As it was, they were astonished enough by what they saw.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading As it was, they were astonished enough by what they saw.
someone who sees an event and reports what happened
From this reading If To-la-go-to-de and his Lipans had moved forward just a little earlier that morning, they might have been in time to witness the departure of Captain Skinner and his men on their ill-advised expedition.
Chapter 16 of The Talking Leaves: An Indian Story by William O. Stoddard holds 172 sentences, grouped into 35 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.
Chapter 16 holds 172 sentences of The Talking Leaves: An Indian Story, unabridged, divided into 35 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 16 of The Talking Leaves: An Indian Story by William O. Stoddard exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 172 sentences, grouped into 35 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.
Work through the 35 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 35 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 16 can be played aloud in United States English.
Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.
Common questions about reading The Talking Leaves: An Indian Story by William O. Stoddard on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 4972 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #21913 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #21913, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 414 minutes of reading across 995 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Talking Leaves: An Indian Story section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 29 chapters of The Talking Leaves: An Indian Story to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in The Talking Leaves: An Indian Story, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
