It's hard to understand ('which' in a phrase of 19th novel) the whole population of Parker's Falls, consisting of shopkeepers, mistresses of boarding-houses, factory-girls, mill-men and schoolboys, rushed into the street and kept up such a terrible loquacity as more than compensated for the silence of the cotton-machines, which refrained from their usual din out of respect to the deceased. In this paragraph, I'm confused whether 'which' is for [the people] or [the cotton-machines]? Because of the tense 'refrained', I thought it is for cotton-machines, (because if it's for [the people], isn't it correct that it has to be had refrained?!] but it starts to confuse me. 1) [The people] refrained from their(people's) usual din out of respect to the deceased. But they rushed into the street and kept up such as a terrible loquacity ...... 2) [The cotton-machines] refrained from their(machines') usual din out of respect to the deceased. But people rushed into the street and kept up such as a terrible loquacity ...... Which one is correct? Is there anybody could help me?

Can't understand what it means (an excerpt from a novel of 19th century) "May I be hanged myself," exclaimed Dominicus Pike, aloud, on reaching the top of a lonely hill, "if I'll believe old Higginbotham is unhanged till I see him with my own eyes and hear it from his own mouth. And, as he's a real shaver, I'll have the minister, or some other responsible man, for an endorser." "as he's real shaver" <- I don't get this right. What is shaver? I found some meanings like "one who swindles, a person who is hard or grasping in bargaining", but I still don't get this expression. Dominicus is a person who spreads a rumor that an old man('he' in the paragraph above) was murdered by someone, but that rumor is just a rumor and no one knows the fact. Why is Dominicus worried? Because "he(=a shaver)" is an important person and it might cost a lot in case the rumor is all lie? Is there anyone who could help me?

I'd like to ask what this means (excerpt of 19th novel) But a stranger would have supposed that Mr. Higginbotham was an object of abhorrence at Parker's Falls and that a thanksgiving had been proclaimed for his murder, so excessive was the wrath of the inhabitants on learning their mistake. In this paragraph, I'm confused about whether I get right or wrong.. Does that mean, 1) The inhabitants thougth - A stranger might have thought that people of Parker's Falls hated Mr. Higginbotham and (the stranger also might have thought) that people would like to thank to the God about Mr. Higginbotham's death. (because they hated him) - so they were angry about that. 2) The inhabitants thougth - A stranger might have thought that people of Parker's Falls hated Mr. Higginbotham and because of it(people let the stranger think like that), the inhabitants of Parker's Falls ALMOST made the Thanksgiving's Day to the Murdur's Day. - so they were angry about it. Actually I thought N.2 was right at first, but 'a thanksgiving' is not capitalized, so it was started to confusing.. Is there anyone who could help me?

the meaning of 'as ~ as' in this excerpt of novel (19th) Mr. Higginbotham was as well known at Parker's Falls as any citizen of the place, being part-owner of the slitting-mill and a considerable stockholder in the cotton-factories. I can't get the right meaning in this expression. Which is right? 1) Mr. Higginbotham was so famous that every citizen in Parker's Falls know him. 2) Mr. Higginbotham was famous as any person living in Parker's Falls. (People living in Parker's Falls were famous, and Mr. Higginbotham was also famous.)

How can I get this expression? (excerpt in literary work) (previously, protagonist passed through woods lonesomely for a pretty long time and he met this guy, the traveller) Being thus importuned, the traveller⏤who was as ill-looking a fellow as one would desire to meet in a solitary piece of woods⏤appeared to hesitate a little ...... In this phrase, does 'desire to' mean just as usual, or the other? Because if it means as 'want to, hope to...', it seems unnatural considering contextually. Is there anyone who could help me understand? 1) the traveller looks hard-feature, bad, rough...etc. and no one probably wants to meet him in a solitary forest. 2) the traveller is bad-looking guy but the protagonist looks bad now, too. And the protagonist might want to meet him in a forest, because he was so lonely with no one to talk with.

I cannot understand what this means (an excerpt of novel in 19th century) Here is the excerpt of novel written by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Dominicus watched him as he descended, and noticed that he carried a bundle over his shoulder on the end of a stick and travelled with a weary yet determined pace. He did not look as if he had started in the freshness of the morning, but had footed it all night, and meant to do the same all day. "Good-morning, mister," said Dominicus, when within speaking-distance. "You go a pretty good jog. What's the latest news at Parker's Falls?" Among the phrases(second pharagraph), I cannot understand this part, "You go a pretty good jog." Does this mean, "You're a pretty good jogger."? Or "You must have come a long way."? If anybody gives me a hand, I'd appreciate very much.

what does this mean? about worry if it's written like 'your worried friend' what is it supposed to mean? 1) a friend who makes you worry 2) a friend who's worried about you

what would this mean, "savvy stylite"? it's related with fashion, so I would guess it's "fashion specialist" or "fashion animal" or "style master" etc. but I'm not sure whether my guess is right or not, is it?

Without any article, is it wrong? EX : Will you go to department store by taxi? I would like to put the articles like, - Will you go to a/the department store by taxi? or - Will you go to department stores by taxi? But I'm not sure, how it works? Is it okay just without article itself? or not?