Mister Ron (Ron Evry) 
Mister Ron's Basement
| Tue, Jan 06 2009 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1250 |
| C. B. Lewis, wrote weekly columns of humor for newspapers for over fifty years! Long time Basement listeners are very familiar with his stories of Mr. Bowser, which we have been presenting for a long time. His earliest work might be considered his funniest. This week, we are presenting some hilarious gems from his 1875 collection, 'Quad's Odds.'
Today we hear about a grocer who learned a painful lesson in 'The Awful Fate of the Man Who Advertised.' Time: approx five and a half minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story...  The amazing folks at SFFAudio have been steering listeners to great Audio Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Crime fiction for a long time. Now you can hear an extended unedited interview with Mister Ron himself on the SFFAudio Podcast! It's Podcast Number 013, and can be found at: http://www.sffaudio.com/?cat=1559. Have you visited our blog? You can get to it at misterronsbasement.blogspot.com. We are working diligently to create a complete index of every episode of the Basement! Meanwhile, here are some links to some great episodes: ****By popular demand, we have added a page with links to every Stephen Leacock story ever presented in The Basement. Our very first Episode was by Leacock, and they are some of the funniest things ever written. To get to the links just go to http://ronevry.com/Leacock_Stories.html. ***We now have an index to all of the Fanny Fern stories we have presented in the Basement! You can get it by clicking here! ***Here is a page full of links to every Spoopendyke and Stanley Huntley story we have ever done at http://ronevry.com/Spoopendyke_Stories.html You'll find the entire first set of Mister Ron's GEORGE ADE stories carefully indexed for you! Just click here! Links to all of the Chapters of Max Adeler's 1880 novelette 'Fortunate Island' can be found at http://ronevry.com/Fortunate_Island_Serialized.html If you've already got the latest iTunes on your machine, then you can click here and iTunes will open up to Mister Ron's Basement! Mister Ron's Once A Week has returned with new episodes! Do NOT miss our companion Podcast, Mister Ron's Once A Week, an audio magazine featuring fiction, fact, sensation, wit, humor, news, and whatever strikes our fancy. You can get it at http://slapcast.com/users/ron. Also, if you've been thinking of starting your own podcast, do check out http://slapcast.com -- they make podcasting a breeze! Tell 'em Mister Ron sent you. 
When in iTunes, please click on 'Subscribe' button. Thank you. |
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Posted at 11:15 PM |
Mister Ron's Basement #1249 |
| For Mark Twain Monday, we present Chapter Twenty-Six of 'A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court' from 1889 -- Where the Boss learns of King's-Evil and it's miraculous cure and examines 'The First Newspaper.'
Time: approx twenty-one minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story...
When in iTunes, please click on 'Subscribe' button. Thank you. |
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Posted at 07:32 AM |
| Sun, Jan 04 2009 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1248 |
| SUNDAY SALAD explores the joys of performing in the theater! Stanley Huntley's characters trod the boards in THREE fun tales today.
First, a 'swell' theatrical impresario talks up his productions with the Eagle editor in 'Getting A Notice' from 1882. Then the Breezy family has it out concerning Mrs. Breezy's desire to play romantic roles in 'Asserting His Position,' also from 1882. Finally, we have a truly rare Spoopendyke story from 1884 -- 'Mrs. Spoopendyke Possessed with a Sudden Desire to go on the Stage.' This particular Spoopendyke piece is discussed in more detail in our blog -- misterronsbasement.blogspot.com. Time: approx twenty minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story...
When in iTunes, please click on 'Subscribe' button. Thank you. |
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Posted at 09:07 PM |
| Sat, Jan 03 2009 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1247 |
| The next few Saturdays will find us reading the last few stories from C. B. Lewis's 1902 collection, 'The Life and Troubles of Mr. Bowser.'
Today, Mr. Bowser is honored with a request to sit for a portrait in 'Mr. Bowser's Picture.' Time: approx eight and a half minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story...
When in iTunes, please click on 'Subscribe' button. Thank you. |
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Posted at 08:03 PM |
| Thu, Dec 25 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1246 |
| Our special Christmas Episode features the original 1921 F. Scott Fitzgerald story 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.'
A wonderful motion picture adaption of this story starring Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett is being released to movie theaters right now. It is a great movie. But the original Fitzgerald story is a work of genius, and the movie differs from it dramatically. We had considered serializing it across the span of a week, but instead offer the lengthy tale in its entirety. It is almost an hour long. Please download this, relax, and enjoy. Your feedback is especially welcome. Please write to: revry@panix.com Time: approx fifty-five minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story...
When in iTunes, please click on 'Subscribe' button. Thank you. |
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Posted at 04:40 PM |
| Wed, Dec 24 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1245 |
| SUNDAY SALAD offers up a special Spoopendyke Christmas story from 1880 that was apparently done especially for the Washington Post at the time (yes, we know that we thought there were no more of these, but we stumbled into this one).
Stanley Huntley had previously been the Post's first City Editor back in 1877-78, and was good friends with the paper's founder, Stilson Hutchins. Today's story also sheds some light on who Huntley modeled Mrs. Spoopendyke after. Enjoy then, 'Mrs. Spoopendyke's Christmas Gift.' Time: approx eight minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story...
When in iTunes, please click on 'Subscribe' button. Thank you. |
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Posted at 11:11 AM |
Mister Ron's Basement #1244 |
| We are wrapping up a short week (technical difficulties) of stories from George Fitch's 1916 collection, 'Vest Pocket Essays' with a fascinating, fun view of 'Cigarettes.'
Time: approx four minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story...
When in iTunes, please click on 'Subscribe' button. Thank you. |
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Posted at 10:54 AM |
| Thu, Dec 18 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1243 |
| We are continuing with a second week of stories from George Fitch's 1916 collection, 'Vest Pocket Essays.'
Today we get the scoop on a friend of humanity -- 'The Dollar.' Time: approx five minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story...
When in iTunes, please click on 'Subscribe' button. Thank you. |
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Posted at 06:24 AM |
| Tue, Dec 16 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1242 |
| We are continuing with a second week of stories from George Fitch's 1916 collection, 'Vest Pocket Essays.'
Feeling lucky? Then don't miss today's essay, 'Luck.' Time: approx four and a half minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... The amazing folks at SFFAudio have been steering listeners to great Audio Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Crime fiction for a long time. Now you can hear an extended unedited interview with Mister Ron himself on the SFFAudio Podcast! It's Podcast Number 013, and can be found at: http://www.sffaudio.com/?cat=1559. This time of year, many visitors to this Podcast come to find our version of Washington Irving's 'Legend of Sleepy Hollow.' It is available by clicking here. Have you visited our blog? You can get to it at misterronsbasement.blogspot.com. We are working diligently to create a complete index of every episode of the Basement! Meanwhile, here are some links to some great episodes: ****By popular demand, we have added a page with links to every Stephen Leacock story ever presented in The Basement. Our very first Episode was by Leacock, and they are some of the funniest things ever written. To get to the links just go to http://ronevry.com/Leacock_Stories.html. ***We now have an index to all of the Fanny Fern stories we have presented in the Basement! You can get it by clicking here! ***Here is a page full of links to every Spoopendyke and Stanley Huntley story we have ever done at http://ronevry.com/Spoopendyke_Stories.html You'll find the entire first set of Mister Ron's GEORGE ADE stories carefully indexed for you! Just click here! Links to all of the Chapters of Max Adeler's 1880 novelette 'Fortunate Island' can be found at http://ronevry.com/Fortunate_Island_Serialized.html If you've already got the latest iTunes on your machine, then you can click here and iTunes will open up to Mister Ron's Basement! Mister Ron's Once A Week has returned with new episodes! Do NOT miss our companion Podcast, Mister Ron's Once A Week, an audio magazine featuring fiction, fact, sensation, wit, humor, news, and whatever strikes our fancy. You can get it at http://slapcast.com/users/ron. Also, if you've been thinking of starting your own podcast, do check out http://slapcast.com -- they make podcasting a breeze! Tell 'em Mister Ron sent you.
When in iTunes, please click on 'Subscribe' button. Thank you. |
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Posted at 09:56 PM |
| Mon, Dec 15 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1241 |
| For Mark Twain Monday, we present Chapter Twenty-Five of 'A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court' from 1889 -- Where the Boss learns exactly what qualifications a candidate must have to become a military officer in 'A Competitive Examination.'
Time: approx twenty-six minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story...
When in iTunes, please click on 'Subscribe' button. Thank you. |
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Posted at 11:46 PM |
Mister Ron's Basement #1240 |
| SUNDAY SALAD offers a truly intriguing, if somewhat lengthy piece by Stanley Huntley from 1882, relating his experiences aboard a Pilot Boat, one of many that brought big ships in to New York's harbor from the High Seas back then. This colorful tale showcases Huntley's unique talents as a newspaper feature writer, and may be one of the best stories we have ever read in the Basement.
It's called 'Life On A Pilot Boat; the Men who go Down to the Sea After Ships.' Time: approx thirty minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story...
When in iTunes, please click on 'Subscribe' button. Thank you. |
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Posted at 03:24 PM |
Mister Ron's Basement #1239 |
| 'Mr. Bowser Does the Wash' by C. B. Lewis, from 1890. What else needs to be said?
Time: approx nine minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story...
When in iTunes, please click on 'Subscribe' button. Thank you. |
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Posted at 03:14 PM |
| Sat, Dec 13 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1238 |
| George Helgesen Fitch wrote a popular syndicated newspaper column in the early twentieth century called 'Vest Pocket Essays.' He collected the best of these in a 1916 book of the same name, which we have been reading from this week. Today we offer a treat for the bugs -- 'Picnics.'
Time: approx four and a half minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story...
When in iTunes, please click on 'Subscribe' button. Thank you. |
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Posted at 09:52 PM |
| Thu, Dec 11 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1237 |
| George Helgesen Fitch wrote a popular syndicated newspaper column in the early twentieth century called 'Vest Pocket Essays.' He collected the best of these in a 1916 book of the same name, which we are reading from this week. Today, we take a whiff of a tasty treat -- 'Cabbages.'
Time: approx four and a half minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... The amazing folks at SFFAudio have been steering listeners to great Audio Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Crime fiction for a long time. Now you can hear an extended unedited interview with Mister Ron himself on the SFFAudio Podcast! It's Podcast Number 013, and can be found at: http://www.sffaudio.com/?cat=1559. This time of year, many visitors to this Podcast come to find our version of Washington Irving's 'Legend of Sleepy Hollow.' It is available by clicking here. Have you visited our blog? You can get to it at misterronsbasement.blogspot.com. We are working diligently to create a complete index of every episode of the Basement! Meanwhile, here are some links to some great episodes: ****By popular demand, we have added a page with links to every Stephen Leacock story ever presented in The Basement. Our very first Episode was by Leacock, and they are some of the funniest things ever written. To get to the links just go to http://ronevry.com/Leacock_Stories.html. ***We now have an index to all of the Fanny Fern stories we have presented in the Basement! You can get it by clicking here! ***Here is a page full of links to every Spoopendyke and Stanley Huntley story we have ever done at http://ronevry.com/Spoopendyke_Stories.html You'll find the entire first set of Mister Ron's GEORGE ADE stories carefully indexed for you! Just click here! Links to all of the Chapters of Max Adeler's 1880 novelette 'Fortunate Island' can be found at http://ronevry.com/Fortunate_Island_Serialized.html If you've already got the latest iTunes on your machine, then you can click here and iTunes will open up to Mister Ron's Basement! Mister Ron's Once A Week has returned with new episodes! Do NOT miss our companion Podcast, Mister Ron's Once A Week, an audio magazine featuring fiction, fact, sensation, wit, humor, news, and whatever strikes our fancy. You can get it at http://slapcast.com/users/ron. Also, if you've been thinking of starting your own podcast, do check out http://slapcast.com -- they make podcasting a breeze! Tell 'em Mister Ron sent you.
When in iTunes, please click on 'Subscribe' button. Thank you. |
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Posted at 11:17 PM |
Mister Ron's Basement #1236 |
| George Helgesen Fitch wrote a popular syndicated newspaper column in the early twentieth century called 'Vest Pocket Essays.' He collected the best of these in a 1916 book of the same name, which we are reading from this week. Today, we explore the great American way of not doing business -- 'Committees.'
Time: approx three and a half minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story...
When in iTunes, please click on 'Subscribe' button. Thank you. |
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Posted at 12:18 AM |
Mister Ron's Basement #1235 |
| George Helgesen Fitch wrote a popular syndicated newspaper column in the early twentieth century called 'Vest Pocket Essays.' He collected the best of these in a 1916 book of the same name, which we will read from this week. Today's essay gives us the straight scoop on 'Menus.'
Time: approx four and a half minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story...
When in iTunes, please click on 'Subscribe' button. Thank you. |
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Posted at 12:14 AM |
| Wed, Dec 10 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1234 |
| For Mark Twain Monday, we present Chapter Twenty-Four of 'A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court' from 1889 -- 'A Rival Magician'' -- in which the Boss faces some unexpected competition...
Time: approx twenty-two minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story...
When in iTunes, please click on 'Subscribe' button. Thank you. |
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Posted at 12:15 AM |
| Sun, Dec 07 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1233 |
| SUNDAY SALAD offers up TWO Stanley Huntley pieces today. Sorry, neither one features the Spoopendykes. We may never find another Spoopendyke story again (but we will keep looking).
Both stories are from 1881 -- the first is a grim tale of a tragic journey on the Fulton Ferry in Brooklyn entitled 'The Unfortunate Cruise of the Union.' Then the Father of the Bride offers a news story to the Eagle editor in 'After A Notice.' Time: approx nine minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... The amazing folks at SFFAudio have been steering listeners to great Audio Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Crime fiction for a long time. Now you can hear an extended unedited interview with Mister Ron himself on the SFFAudio Podcast! It's Podcast Number 013, and can be found at: http://www.sffaudio.com/?cat=1559. This time of year, many visitors to this Podcast come to find our version of Washington Irving's 'Legend of Sleepy Hollow.' It is available by clicking here. Have you visited our blog? You can get to it at misterronsbasement.blogspot.com. We are working diligently to create a complete index of every episode of the Basement! Meanwhile, here are some links to some great episodes: ****By popular demand, we have added a page with links to every Stephen Leacock story ever presented in The Basement. Our very first Episode was by Leacock, and they are some of the funniest things ever written. To get to the links just go to http://ronevry.com/Leacock_Stories.html. ***We now have an index to all of the Fanny Fern stories we have presented in the Basement! You can get it by clicking here! ***Here is a page full of links to every Spoopendyke and Stanley Huntley story we have ever done at http://ronevry.com/Spoopendyke_Stories.html You'll find the entire first set of Mister Ron's GEORGE ADE stories carefully indexed for you! Just click here! Links to all of the Chapters of Max Adeler's 1880 novelette 'Fortunate Island' can be found at http://ronevry.com/Fortunate_Island_Serialized.html If you've already got the latest iTunes on your machine, then you can click here and iTunes will open up to Mister Ron's Basement! Mister Ron's Once A Week has returned with new episodes! Do NOT miss our companion Podcast, Mister Ron's Once A Week, an audio magazine featuring fiction, fact, sensation, wit, humor, news, and whatever strikes our fancy. You can get it at http://slapcast.com/users/ron. Also, if you've been thinking of starting your own podcast, do check out http://slapcast.com -- they make podcasting a breeze! Tell 'em Mister Ron sent you.
When in iTunes, please click on 'Subscribe' button. Thank you. |
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Posted at 10:08 PM |
Mister Ron's Basement #1232 |
| Our favorite old crank slaps up some wallpaper in C. B. Lewis's 1908 story, 'Bowser the Artist.'
Time: approx ten minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story...
When in iTunes, please click on 'Subscribe' button. Thank you. |
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Posted at 09:10 PM |
Mister Ron's Basement #1231 |
| In 1893, James Barr edited a collection called 'The Humor of America' for British readers. Today's tale explores a terrible feud started by a washtub, in 'Tempest in a Tub' by James M. Bailey.
Time: approx six minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... When in iTunes, please click on 'Subscribe' button. Thank you. |
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Posted at 11:26 AM |
| Thu, Dec 04 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1230 |
| In 1893, James Barr edited a collection called 'The Humor of America' for British readers. L. Gaylord Clark, the long-time editor of the Knickerbocker Magazine (often publishing Washington Irving's tales), had pincluded his story for today in an 1852 collection himself. It's called 'A Railroad Recussant.'
Time: approx five minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... The amazing folks at SFFAudio have been steering listeners to great Audio Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Crime fiction for a long time. Now you can hear an extended unedited interview with Mister Ron himself on the SFFAudio Podcast! It's Podcast Number 013, and can be found at: http://www.sffaudio.com/?cat=1559. This time of year, many visitors to this Podcast come to find our version of Washington Irving's 'Legend of Sleepy Hollow.' It is available by clicking here. Have you visited our blog? You can get to it at misterronsbasement.blogspot.com. We are working diligently to create a complete index of every episode of the Basement! Meanwhile, here are some links to some great episodes: ****By popular demand, we have added a page with links to every Stephen Leacock story ever presented in The Basement. Our very first Episode was by Leacock, and they are some of the funniest things ever written. To get to the links just go to http://ronevry.com/Leacock_Stories.html. ***We now have an index to all of the Fanny Fern stories we have presented in the Basement! You can get it by clicking here! ***Here is a page full of links to every Spoopendyke and Stanley Huntley story we have ever done at http://ronevry.com/Spoopendyke_Stories.html You'll find the entire first set of Mister Ron's GEORGE ADE stories carefully indexed for you! Just click here! Links to all of the Chapters of Max Adeler's 1880 novelette 'Fortunate Island' can be found at http://ronevry.com/Fortunate_Island_Serialized.html If you've already got the latest iTunes on your machine, then you can click here and iTunes will open up to Mister Ron's Basement! Mister Ron's Once A Week has returned with new episodes! Do NOT miss our companion Podcast, Mister Ron's Once A Week, an audio magazine featuring fiction, fact, sensation, wit, humor, news, and whatever strikes our fancy. You can get it at http://slapcast.com/users/ron. Also, if you've been thinking of starting your own podcast, do check out http://slapcast.com -- they make podcasting a breeze! Tell 'em Mister Ron sent you. When in iTunes, please click on 'Subscribe' button. Thank you. |
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Posted at 11:07 PM |
| Wed, Dec 03 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1229 |
| In 1893, James Barr edited a collection called 'The Humor of America' for British readers. W. L. Alden was an American who was immensely popular in England in the 1890s. Today we hear of his great solution for noisy felines, entitled 'Cat-Fishing.'
It's quite funny. Time: approx eight and a half minutes When in iTunes, please click on 'Subscribe' button. Thank you. |
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Posted at 10:33 PM |
| Tue, Dec 02 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1228 |
| In 1893, James Barr edited a collection called 'The Humor of America' for British readers. Today's piece from that book is called 'Baked Beans and Culture' by Eugene Field.
Time: approx eight minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... When in iTunes, please click on 'Subscribe' button. Thank you. |
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Posted at 11:43 PM |
| Mon, Dec 01 2008 |
MIster Ron's Basement #1227 |
| For Mark Twain Monday, we present Chapter Twenty-Three of 'A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court' from 1889 -- 'Restoration of the Fountain' -- where the Boss treats the multitude to a spectacular fireworks show!
Time: approx eighteen minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... When in iTunes, please click on 'Subscribe' button. Thank you. |
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Posted at 10:21 PM |
| Sun, Nov 30 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1226 |
| SUNDAY SALAD offers THREE Stanley Huntley pieces today (sorry, no Spoopendyke stories available this week) -- First, a minister gets an earful of newspaper slang in 'Only Technical Terms' from 1881, then a stranger to Brooklyn gets some directions in the street in 'After Information' from 1882. Finally, a cowboy enthusiastically describes a grand performance in 'A Plea for the Opera' from 1881.
Time: approx eleven minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... When in iTunes, please click on 'Subscribe' button. Thank you. |
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Posted at 11:50 AM |
MIster Ron's Basement #1225 |
| Our favorite old crank has another get-rich-quick scheme up his sleeve involving raising trees for paper-mills, in C. B. Lewis's 1918 tale, 'Bowser's Little Plan.'
Time: approx eight and a half minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story...  When in iTunes, please click on 'Subscribe' button. Thank you. |
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Posted at 10:34 AM |
| Fri, Nov 28 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1224 |
| The terrible news about the Stock Market in free fall is nothing new -- this week we have been reading from Gideon Wurdz 1905 book 'Foolish Finance.' Our last piece is full of practical advice -- it's called 'Tips.'
Time: approx five and a half minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... When in iTunes, please click on 'Subscribe' button. Thank you. |
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Posted at 11:51 PM |
| Thu, Nov 27 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1223 |
| The terrible news about the Stock Market in free fall is nothing new -- this week we are reading from Gideon Wurdz 1905 book 'Foolish Finance.' Today we get the inside scoop on exactly how the Financial System works in 'The System as Promoter And Pickpocket.'
Time: approx seven minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... When in iTunes, please click on 'Subscribe' button. Thank you. |
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Posted at 10:19 PM |
| Wed, Nov 26 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1222 |
| The terrible news about the Stock Market in free fall is nothing new -- this week we will read from Gideon Wurdz 1905 book 'Foolish Finance.' Today we learn about who is available to part you with your money -- 'The Broker.'
Time: approx four minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... When in iTunes, please click on 'Subscribe' button. Thank you. |
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Posted at 06:45 PM |
Mister Ron's Basement #1221 |
| The terrible news about the Stock Market in free fall is nothing new -- this week we will read from Gideon Wurdz 1905 book 'Foolish Finance.' Today we discover some great tips on 'Speculation.'
Time: approx four and a half minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... When in iTunes, please click on 'Subscribe' button. Thank you. |
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Posted at 12:25 AM |
| Tue, Nov 25 2008 |
MIster Ron's Basement #1220 |
| For Mark Twain Monday, we present Chapter Twenty-Two (Part Two of Two) of 'A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court' from 1889 -- 'The Holy Fountain' -- where the Boss examines a dry well, and puzzles Sandy with modern slang.
Time: approx fifteen minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... When in iTunes, please click on 'Subscribe' button. Thank you. |
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Posted at 11:55 PM |
| Sun, Nov 23 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1219 |
| SUNDAY SALAD has THREE truly funny Stanley Huntley tales, all from 1881, including a newly discovered (at least by Mister Ron) Spoopendyke story!
In the first piece, a woman argues with a street car passenger in a piece worthy of Abbott & Costello in 'A Trying Situation.' Then a rough and tumble visitor from Deadwood gets into a strange discussion with a precious young Brooklyn girl in 'Too Awfully Utter.' Finally Mr. Spoopendyke expresses his disgust with his Doctor's advice in 'He Was Not Well.' This is a not-to-be-missed Episode! Time: approx ten and a half minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... When in iTunes, please click on 'Subscribe' button. Thank you. |
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Posted at 07:11 PM |
| Sat, Nov 22 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1218 |
| Mr. Bowser gets a made-to-order package from his tailor that seems to be all wrong, in C. B. Lewis's 1893 tale, 'Bowser's Trousers.'
Time: approx seven and a half minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... When in iTunes, please click on 'Subscribe' button. Thank you. |
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Posted at 09:25 PM |
| Fri, Nov 21 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1217 |
| Bill Nye (Edgar Wilson Nye) is one of our favorite humorists. This week, we are featuring stories from his 1881 collection, 'Bill Nye and Boomerang.'
Today, Nye reports on a desperado's wedding ceremony in 'The Nupitals of Dangerous Davis.' Time: approx four minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... When in iTunes, please click on 'Subscribe' button. Thank you. |
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Posted at 10:05 PM |
| Thu, Nov 20 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1216 |
| Bill Nye (Edgar Wilson Nye) is one of our favorite humorists. This week, we are featuring stories from his 1881 collection, 'Bill Nye and Boomerang.'
Today's story is a bit hard to follow, but is extremely funny nevertheless. Nye discusses 'The Buckness Wherewith the Buck Beer Bucketh.' Time: approx three and a half minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... When in iTunes, please click on 'Subscribe' button. Thank you. |
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Posted at 11:50 PM |
| Wed, Nov 19 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1215 |
| Bill Nye (Edgar Wilson Nye) is one of our favorite humorists. This week, we are featuring stories from his 1881 collection, 'Bill Nye and Boomerang.'
Today we learn a truly unique use for a washtub in Nye's tale of 'Dirty Murphy.' Time: approx four minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... When in iTunes, please click on 'Subscribe' button. Thank you. |
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Posted at 10:49 PM |
| Tue, Nov 18 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1214 |
| Bill Nye (Edgar Wilson Nye) is one of our favorite humorists. This week, we are featuring stories from his 1881 collection, 'Bill Nye and Boomerang.'
Today's piece concerns the many reported deaths of Frank and Jesse James and their gang -- it is called 'Killing Off the James Boys.' Time: approx four minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... When in iTunes, please click on 'Subscribe' button. Thank you. |
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Posted at 11:06 PM |
| Mon, Nov 17 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1213 |
| For Mark Twain Monday, we present Chapter Twenty-Two (Part One of Two) of 'A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court' from 1889 -- 'The Holy Fountain' -- where we learn about professional courtesy among magicians.
Time: approx eleven minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... When in iTunes, please click on 'Subscribe' button. Thank you. |
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Posted at 11:41 PM |
| Sun, Nov 16 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1212 |
| SUNDAY SALAD offers Stanley Huntley's clever 1880 spoof of Jules Verne's 'Around the World in Eighty Days.' It's called 'A Journey to the Sun by Jules Verne, Jr.'
Sorry -- there are no unread Spoopendyke stories available this week. We will keep searching. Time: approx eleven minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... When in iTunes, please click on 'Subscribe' button. Thank you. |
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Posted at 11:01 PM |
Mister Ron's Basement #1211 |
| Mr. Bowser has 'the event of his life' in C. B. Lewis's 1899 tale 'Fishing for Tautog.'
Time: approx ten minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... When in iTunes, please click on 'Subscribe' button. Thank you. |
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Posted at 09:52 PM |
| Fri, Nov 14 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1210 |
| We continue to read assorted stories from 'Mrs. Partington's Carpet-Bag of Fun,' compiled by Samuel Putnam Avery back in 1854.
In the early 19th Century, communities would board school teachers at the homes of parents -- here's the sad tale of 'A Schoolmaster 'Boarding Hound.'' Time: approx five and a half minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... When in iTunes, please click on 'Subscribe' button. Thank you. |
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Posted at 10:53 PM |
| Thu, Nov 13 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1209 |
| We continue to read assorted stories from 'Mrs. Partington's Carpet-Bag of Fun,' compiled by Samuel Putnam Avery back in 1854.
Yep, today's piece is more an old, old joke than a story, but it is pretty funny nevertheless. It's a story about a traveller 'Getting Up an Examination' Time: approx three and a half minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... When in iTunes, please click on 'Subscribe' button. Thank you. |
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Posted at 10:35 PM |
| Wed, Nov 12 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1208 |
| We continue to read assorted stories from 'Mrs. Partington's Carpet-Bag of Fun,' compiled by Samuel Putnam Avery back in 1854.
When Amelia Bloomer invented her namesake pantsuit for women back in the early 1850s, many writers made fun of them, as in this short piece, 'A Rhyme for the Bloomers.' Time: approx three and a half minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story...  When in iTunes, please click on 'Subscribe' button. Thank you. |
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Posted at 11:05 PM |
| Tue, Nov 11 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1207 |
| We continue to read assorted stories from 'Mrs. Partington's Carpet-Bag of Fun,' compiled by Samuel Putnam Avery back in 1854.
Today we visit a lonely man trying to catch a snooze in the cold in 'A Bachelor's Woes.' Time: approx three minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... When in iTunes, please click on 'Subscribe' button. Thank you. |
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Posted at 05:47 PM |
Mister Ron's Basement #1206 |
| For Mark Twain Monday, we present Chapter Twenty-One (Part Two of Two) of 'A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court' from 1889 -- 'The Pilgrims' -- where Sandy and The Boss join a group of Pilgrims heading for Holy Waters, when they meet a top-hatted knight coming the other way.
Time: approx nineteen and a half minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... When in iTunes, please click on 'Subscribe' button. Thank you. |
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Posted at 04:53 PM |
| Sun, Nov 09 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1205 |
| Spoopendyke is BACK! For this episode of SUNDAY SALAD we have dug up a so far undiscovered story of Mr. and Mrs. Spoopendyke from 1880 -- it's called 'A Little Large in the Neck.'
Also from 1880, we are including a tale of a man purchasing an obituary notice in 'A Perplexing Situation' and another story of woman with a flair for Shakespearean dialogue finding her Romeo at a Coney Island hotel in 'A Peculiar Boarder.' Time: approx fifteen minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... When in iTunes, please click on 'Subscribe' button. Thank you. |
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Posted at 07:53 PM |
| Sat, Nov 08 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1204 |
| Our favorite old crank sets out to win a contest and prove himself the most well-liked man in town in C. B. Lewis's 1899 story 'Mr. Bowser's Popularity.'
Time: approx eight and a half minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... When in iTunes, please click on 'Subscribe' button. Thank you. |
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Posted at 08:23 PM |
| Fri, Nov 07 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1203 |
| Famed illustrator and art collector Samuel Putnam Avery edited a collection of humor in 1854 called 'Mrs. Partington's Carpet-Bag of Fun.' We are wrapping up a week of very short, fun stories about kissing from that book, with FIVE pieces - - 'A Kiss in the Dark' 'Barking Up the Wrong Tree' 'An Ecstatic Lover' 'A Smacking Article' and 'Improved Cookery.'
Time: approx six and a half minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... When in iTunes, please click on 'Subscribe' button. Thank you. |
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Posted at 10:28 PM |
| Thu, Nov 06 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1202 |
| Famed illustrator and art collector Samuel Putnam Avery edited a collection of humor in 1854 called 'Mrs. Partington's Carpet-Bag of Fun.' This week, we will be reading very short, fun stories about kissing from that book.
Today's piece is more interesting than funny, but is worth a listen. It's called 'Kissing Philosophy.' Time: approx three and a half minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... When in iTunes, please click on 'Subscribe' button. Thank you. |
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Posted at 09:11 PM |
| Wed, Nov 05 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1201 |
| Famed illustrator and art collector Samuel Putnam Avery edited a collection of humor in 1854 called 'Mrs. Partington's Carpet-Bag of Fun.' This week, we will be reading very short, fun stories about kissing from that book.
Today we explore the mechanics of a proper smooch in 'How to Enjoy A Kiss.' Time: approx three and a half minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story...
When in iTunes, please click on 'Subscribe' button. Thank you. |
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Posted at 11:34 PM |
| Tue, Nov 04 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1200 |
| This is Mister Ron's Basement Episode #1200!!
Famed illustrator and art collector Samuel Putnam Avery edited a collection of humor in 1854 called 'Mrs. Partington's Carpet-Bag of Fun.' This week, we will be reading very short, fun stories about kissing from that book. Today's is called 'A Chapter on Kissing.' Time: approx four minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... 
When in iTunes, please click on 'Subscribe' button. Thank you. |
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Posted at 11:28 PM |
| Mon, Nov 03 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1199 |
| For Mark Twain Monday, we present Chapter Twenty-One (Part One of Two) of 'A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court' from 1889 -- 'The Pilgrims' -- where Sandy and The Boss have Breakfast with the Pigs...
Time: approx nine and a half minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... |
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Posted at 10:29 PM |
| Sun, Nov 02 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1198 |
| SUNDAY SALAD features TWO Stanley Huntley stories concerning sadness and grief. Of course, they are both hysterically funny! The two tales appeared in 1883 -- 'Profound Grief' and 'A Delicate Mission.'
Sadly, we have yet to dig up any undiscovered Spoopendyke stories yet, and may never do so. But we will keep searching! Time: approx nine minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... |
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Posted at 10:22 PM |
Mister Ron's Basement #1197 |
| Mr. Bowser encounters an incredible turning point in his relationship with Mrs. Bowser in C. B. Lewis's 1892 tale, 'There Are Occasions When the Worm Will Turn.'
Time: approx eight and a half minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... |
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Posted at 09:40 PM |
| Fri, Oct 31 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1196 |
| Perhaps not among his funniest stories, we present Charles Battell Loomis's charming 1909 tale, 'Politeness As An Asset.'
Time: approx six minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... |
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Posted at 09:41 PM |
Mister Ron's Basement #1195 |
| We are featuring another truly odd story from Charles Battell Loomis written in 1906 -- it's not exactly Science Fiction -- but in it we get a report from someplace not of this Earth -- about 'The Poets' Strike.'
Time: approx nine and a half minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... |
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Posted at 09:11 PM |
| Wed, Oct 29 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1194 |
| Here's another quirky (but very short) 1902 story from Charles Battell Loomis -- it's called 'Five Hundred Dollars.' You can draw your own conclusions to this enjoyable tale.
Time: approx four minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... |
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Posted at 09:01 PM |
| Tue, Oct 28 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1193 |
| Charles Battell Loomis wrote an astonishing array of short stories. This week we will explore some of them. Today we have a 1900 tale of a boy with a unique talent entitled 'The Boy Who Turned Books Into Food.'
Time: approx nine minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... |
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Posted at 08:34 PM |
Mister Ron's Basement #1192 |
| For Mark Twain Monday, we present Chapter Twenty of 'A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court' from 1889 -- 'The Ogre's Castle' -- where Sandy and The Boss reach the goal of their quest -- sort of...
Time: approx sixteen minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... |
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Posted at 06:19 PM |
| Sun, Oct 26 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1191 |
| SUNDAY SALAD offers TWO Stanley Huntley stories from 1882 -- neither of which features the Spoopendykes! Yes, it has finally happened! Unless something so far undiscovered turns up, we have, sadly, run out of Spoopendyke stories. Nevertheless, we will keep looking, and in the meantime we have two tales -- in the first, a reporter tries to write up a Church Picnic in Medieval style in 'Early English' and a family adopts a unique pet in 'Taming an Alligator.'
Time: approx ten and a half minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... |
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Posted at 08:19 PM |
Mister Ron's Basement #1190 |
| Our favorite old crank comes up with a few ideas to eliminate poisonous gasses and bacteria in his home in C. B. Lewis's 1889 tale, 'Mr. Bowser Has Theories.'
Time: approx eight minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... |
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Posted at 07:31 PM |
| Sat, Oct 25 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1189 |
| Fans of the movie 'Ghostbusters' may find some intriguing resemblances to that film in Gellet Burgess's 1905 story, 'The Ghost-Extinguisher.' Your comments on this amazing (and fun) find are more than welcome! Send them to revry@panix.com.
Time: approx twenty-five minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... |
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Posted at 08:56 PM |
| Thu, Oct 23 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1188 |
| Today we offer the sad tale of a ghost of a man who is still alive! It also features romance, and some serious miscommunication, in Frank R. Stockton's 1884 story, 'The Transferred Ghost.'
Time: approx twenty-five and a half minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... |
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Posted at 10:57 PM |
| Tue, Oct 21 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1187 |
| With Halloween approaching, we are reading some spooky (and fun) ghost stories this week! Today's 1903 tale by Rose O'Neill concerns a strange spirit and a forgetful lady. It's called 'The Lady and the Ghost.'
Time: approx eleven and a half minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... This time of year, many visitors to this Podcast come to find our version of Washington Irving's 'Legend of Sleepy Hollow.' It is available by clicking here. We are working diligently to create a complete index of every episode of the Basement! Meanwhile, here are some links to some great episodes: ******Newly Added! We now have an index to all of the Fanny Fern stories we have presented in the Basement! You can get it by clicking here! ***Here is a page full of links to every Spoopendyke and Stanley Huntley story we have ever done at http://ronevry.com/Spoopendyke_Stories.html You'll find the entire first set of Mister Ron's GEORGE ADE stories carefully indexed for you! Just click here! Links to all of the Chapters of Max Adeler's 1880 novelette 'Fortunate Island' can be found at http://ronevry.com/Fortunate_Island_Serialized.html If you've already got the latest iTunes on your machine, then you can click here and iTunes will open up to Mister Ron's Basement! Mister Ron's Once A Week has returned with new episodes! Do NOT miss our companion Podcast, Mister Ron's Once A Week, an audio magazine featuring fiction, fact, sensation, wit, humor, news, and whatever strikes our fancy. You can get it at http://slapcast.com/users/ron. Also, if you've been thinking of starting your own podcast, do check out http://slapcast.com -- they make podcasting a breeze! Tell 'em Mister Ron sent you. |
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Posted at 11:46 PM |
| Mon, Oct 20 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1186 |
| For Mark Twain Monday, we present Chapter Nineteen of 'A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court' from 1889 -- 'Knight-Errantry as a Trade' -- where Sandy gives The Boss an Earful.
Time: approx eight and a half minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story...
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Posted at 10:14 PM |
| Sun, Oct 19 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1185 |
| SUNDAY SALAD reveals the depth and range of Stanley Huntley's humorous writing with THREE pieces! First, a tough cowboy faces town a truly mean gambler in Bismarck, Dakota in the 1882 story 'A Piece of Carelessness.' Then an all-too-familiar poem is rewritten as it would be by four classic writers in 'Mary's Little Lamb - Verses Culled from the Different Authors,' also from 1882, and finally, what may be our last Spoopendyke story, our favorite couple visit 'The Legislature' from 1883.
Time: approx eleven and a half minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... |
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Posted at 10:46 PM |
| Sat, Oct 18 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1184 |
| 'Mr. Bowser Tries to Show His Wife How to Clean A House,' written by C. B. Lewis, from 1889. What else needs to be said?
Time: approx eight minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... |
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Posted at 09:51 PM |
| Fri, Oct 17 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1183 |
| George Ade takes a look at a young married couple who separate for the first time in the 1902 tale 'The Fable of the Reckless Wife who had no One to Watch Her.'
Time: approx four minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... |
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Posted at 10:17 PM |
| Thu, Oct 16 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1182 |
| When you get right down to it, some people don't appreciate a good joke, as happens in George Ade's 1900 tale, 'The Fable of the Inveterate Joker Who Remained in Montana.'
Time: approx five and a half minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... |
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Posted at 08:18 PM |
| Wed, Oct 15 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1181 |
| A century or so ago, Phrenologists, who would read fortunes and character from the bumps in peoples' heads, were quite popular. Today's George Ade story, from 1899, deals with just that. It's called 'The Fable of the Visitor Who Got A Lot for Three Dollars.'
Time: approx five minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... |
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Posted at 11:21 PM |
| Tue, Oct 14 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1180 |
| It's been awhile since we offered any of George Ade's Fables, so let's do some this week! We'll start with an 1899 tale of a conundrum with a terrific moral -- 'The Fable of the Caddy Who Hurt His Head While Thinking.'
Time: approx four minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... |
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Posted at 11:17 PM |
| Mon, Oct 13 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1179 |
| For Mark Twain Monday, we present Chapter Eighteen of 'A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court' from 1889 -- 'In the Queen's Dungeons' -- where The Boss sets a lot of prisoners Free.
Time: approx twenty-three minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... |
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Posted at 10:26 PM |
| Sun, Oct 12 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1178 |
| SUNDAY SALAD offers TWO of the BEST Stanley Huntley stories we've ever presented! First, from 1880, comes a classic tale of old Bismarck, Dakota -- 'The Gentleman from the Bad Lands.' Then Mr. and Mrs. Spoopendyke examine a rarely worn coat in 'Preparing for the New Years' from 1882.
Not to be missed! Time: approx twenty minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... |
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Posted at 09:05 PM |
| Sat, Oct 11 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1177 |
| From 1889, C. B Lewis, writing as M. Quad, brings us a lesson in commerce in 'Bowser Speaks Slightingly of His Wife's Business Methods, But --'
Time: approx seven minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... |
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Posted at 08:32 PM |
| Fri, Oct 10 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1176 |
| In today's 1875 story, Eli Perkins considers the effect of a glut of jewels on the market in 'Solitaire Diamonds.'
Time: approx five minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... |
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Posted at 10:30 PM |
Mister Ron's Basement #1175 |
| The wild west was full of rough, lawless characters, but no matter how wild they were, they had to pay their fares on the railroad, as we see in Eli Perkins' 1875 story, 'A Frontiersman.'
Time: approx five and a half minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... |
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Posted at 09:59 PM |
| Thu, Oct 09 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1174 |
| Today we join Eli Perkins and a law student vying for the attention of a lady at a dance in the 1875 story 'The Legal-Minded Man.'
Time: approx four and a half minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... |
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Posted at 11:03 PM |
| Wed, Oct 08 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1173 |
| We'll be hearing some more fun stories from Eli Perkins' 1875 book 'Eli Perkins (At Large) this week. Today we find out the results of naming someone as the 'most beautiful girl' in print in 'Eli Perkins in Hot Water.'
Time: approx seven minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story...
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Posted at 10:10 PM |
| Mon, Oct 06 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1172 |
| For Mark Twain Monday, we present Chapter Seventeen (Part Two) of 'A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court' from 1889 -- 'A Royal Banquet' -- where The Boss gets an uncomfortable taste of medieval justice.
Time: approx fourteen and a half minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... |
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Posted at 09:53 PM |
Mister Ron's Basement #1171 |
| SUNDAY SALAD offers up TWO Stanley Huntley pieces this week -- first we get an inside scoop on the pharmacy business in 'A Dismal Druggist' from 1882, and Mr. Spoopendyke gets out in the garden in 'The Mild Mannered Man Tries His Hand at Transplanting' from 1883.
Time: approx eleven minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... |
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Posted at 08:37 AM |
| Sat, Oct 04 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1170 |
| Mr. Bowser gives his house a once over in C. B. Lewis's 1889 story, 'How the Man of the House Had It Painted and What It Cost.'
Time: approx nine minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... |
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Posted at 11:49 PM |
| Fri, Oct 03 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1169 |
| There are mean men, and meaner men, but Eli Perkins' wrote a story in 1875 about 'The Meanest Man Yet'.
Time: approx three minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story...
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Posted at 10:02 PM |
| Thu, Oct 02 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1168 |
| Eli Perkins relates an 1875 story about a sad old miner, observing the young miners come into the bank, cashing in their gold dust. It's called 'A Lonesome Man.'
Time: approx four and a half minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... |
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Posted at 11:49 PM |
| Wed, Oct 01 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1167 |
| With all the tragic news coming out of Wall Street these days, we may want to take a look at Eli Perkins' 1875 tale of a disconsolate broker. It's called 'A Sad Man.'
Time: approx five minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... |
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Posted at 10:42 PM |
| Tue, Sep 30 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1166 |
| Melville D. Landon wrote under the pen name of Eli Perkins, and was probably more well known as a compiler of American Humor collections. Nevertheless, he was capable of writing extremely funny stories of his own.
Today, we'll hear an 1875 Eli Perkins tale about Jesse and Frank James, a daring robbery, an admiring newspaper editor, and an act of gratitude in 'A Grateful Man.' Time: approx five and a half minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... |
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Posted at 10:47 PM |
| Mon, Sep 29 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1165 |
| For Mark Twain Monday, we present Chapter Seventeen (Part One) of 'A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court' from 1889 -- 'A Royal Banquet' -- featuring food, music, bawdy jokes, prayers, and a hanging.
Time: approx eight minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... |
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Posted at 11:26 PM |
| Sun, Sep 28 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1164 |
| SUNDAY SALAD offers TWO Stanley Huntley stories today -- From 1883, a Temperance crusader attempts to bring the Brooklyn Eagle's editors into the Prohibition campaign in 'Wanted the Paper's Influence' and Mr. Spoopendyke is hailed by one and all as the next Mayor of the city in 'The Reconciliation Candidate' from 1881.
Time: approx eighteen minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... |
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Posted at 10:23 PM |
| Sat, Sep 27 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1163 |
| Mr. Bowser displays his carpentry prowess in C. B. Lewis's 1890 tale, 'The Head of the Family Tries to Put Up Some Screen Doors.'
Time: approx eight minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... |
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Posted at 05:45 PM |
| Fri, Sep 26 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1162 |
| Here's a nifty 1876 Max Adeler story about a judicial blunder and a bald man's hat called 'Justice, and a Little Injustice.'
Time: approx four and a half minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... |
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Posted at 08:48 PM |
| Thu, Sep 25 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1161 |
| Max Adeler often wrote pretty funny poetry. Today we feature a humorous verse from Adeler's 1874 collection, 'Out of the Hurly Burly,' It's called 'Tim Keyser's Nose.'
Time: approx four and a half minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story...  A. B. Frost |
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Posted at 10:59 PM |
| Wed, Sep 24 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1160 |
| Our Max Adeler Marathon continues with an extremely short story concerning a horse, a saddle, and a friendly bit of advice in 'The Saddle Was On Wrong' from 1873.
Time: approx two and a half minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... |
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Posted at 11:32 PM |
| Tue, Sep 23 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1159 |
| In what is turning into a Max Adeler Marathon, we present a third week in a row of Adeler short stories. Today we hear about a coroner, an Egyptian Mummy, and Noah's Ark in the 1875 tale, 'Sorry He Wasn't There.'
Time: approx three and a half minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... |
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Posted at 11:35 PM |
| Mon, Sep 22 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1158 |
| For Mark Twain Monday, we present Chapter Sixteen of 'A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court' from 1889 -- 'Morgan Le Fay' -- where we hear of Knights selling soap and a truly nasty Queen.
Time: approx fifteen minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... |
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Posted at 11:09 PM |
| Sun, Sep 21 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1157 |
| SUNDAY SALAD offers FOUR pieces today -- two very funny stories are definitely by Stanley Huntley -- 'The Editor and the Tracts' from 1881 and 'Sanctum Fables,' also from 1881.
Another 1882 piece from an Oregon newspaper called 'Spoopendyke at the Telephone' was obviously not authentic, even to readers of the day, and 'Spoopendyke Starts a Fire,' also from 1882, from a North Carolina newspaper, and claiming to be from the Brooklyn Eagle, may be a counterfeit -- it seems a little odd -- your opinions on this are most welcome! Join the discussion at our blog at: http://misterronsbasement.blogspot.com/2008/09/counterfeit-spoopendyke-stories.html. Time: approx thirteen minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... |
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Posted at 06:19 PM |
| Sat, Sep 20 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1156 |
| Mr. Bowser is up to his usual antics in C. B. Lewis's 1890 story, 'The Head of the Family Tries Sleeping in a Hammock.'
Time: approx seven minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... |
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Posted at 08:04 PM |
| Fri, Sep 19 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1155 |
| Despite his happy name, a hunter achieves incredible levels of anger and frustration in Max Adeler's 1875 tale, 'Mr. Smiley's Gun.'
Time: approx four minutes Please scroll down to the 'Listen' button to hear this story... |
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Posted at 11:35 PM |
| Thu, Sep 18 2008 |
Mister Ron's Basement #1154 |
</