Sat, Jun 14 2008 Mister Ron's Basement #1092 Here's a later Mr. Bowser story, written by C. B. Lewis back in 1910 -- Bowser takes a boat excursion with a club called 'The Gay Old Boys' and drinks his fill of (ahem) ginger ale in 'Bowser's Day Off.' Time: approx ten and a half minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html The M. Quad (C. B. Lewis) Catalog of Stories is at: http://ronevry.com/quad.html The M. Quad (C. B. Lewis) Mis...
Jun 14, 2008•10 min
Fri, Jun 13 2008 Mister Ron's Basement #1091 In 1921, The Authors' League of America published of book of 'the Personal Confessions of Well-known American Authors as to their Literary Beginnings' entitled 'My Maiden Effort.' Some of these included authors have been featured at times in the Basement, and we are reading their contributions to the collection this week. Irvin S. Cobb explains how he achieved his first success as a fiction writer due to a bet, and as a bonus, we include his 'recipe' ...
Jun 13, 2008•9 min
Thu, Jun 12 2008 Mister Ron's Basement #1090 In 1921, The Authors' League of America published of book of 'the Personal Confessions of Well-known American Authors as to their Literary Beginnings' entitled 'My Maiden Effort.' Some of these included authors have been featured at times in the Basement, and we are reading their contributions to the collection this week. Josephine Dodge Daskam Bacon has been a favorite of Mister Ron's for a long time. Here we include one of her earliest published eff...
Jun 12, 2008•29 min
Wed, Jun 11 2008 Mister Ron's Basement #1089 In 1921, The Authors' League of America published of book of 'the Personal Confessions of Well-known American Authors as to their Literary Beginnings' entitled 'My Maiden Effort.' Some of these included authors have been featured at times in the Basement, and we are reading their contributions to the collection this week. Today we discover George Ade's earliest published work from 1881, called 'A Basket of Potatoes.' Time: approx seven and a half minu...
Jun 11, 2008•7 min
Tue, Jun 10 2008 Mister Ron's Basement #1088 In 1921, The Authors' League of America published of book of 'the Personal Confessions of Well-known American Authors as to their Literary Beginnings' entitled 'My Maiden Effort.' Some of these included authors have been featured at times in the Basement, and we will be reading their contributions to the collection this week. Today we offer Ellis Parker Butler's piece, and as a bonus, we also read that Maiden Effort, an 1896 story called 'My Cyclone-P...
Jun 10, 2008•10 min
Mon, Jun 09 2008 Mister Ron's Basement #1087 For Mark Twain Monday, we present Chapter Seven of 'A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court' from 1889 -- this chapter is called 'Merlin's Tower,' where things go Boom! Time: approx fourteen and a half minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html The Mark Twain Catalog of Stories is at: http://ronevry.com/Twain.html The Mark Twain Connecticut Yankee Novel Index of Stories is at: h...
Jun 09, 2008•15 min
Sun, Jun 08 2008 Mister Ron's Basement #1086 SUNDAY SALAD has TWO Stanley Huntley stories today -- first an early Salad story from 1879, where a down-on-his-luck fellow is 'Looking for Work' and then an incredibly rare and funny Spoopendyke story from an 1885 edition of Drake's Traveller's Magazine called 'Spoopendyke's Pie.' Once again, we are quickly running out of Spoopendyke stories. Suggestions are welcome for future Sunday episodes when they are all gone. Please write, or post on the blog....
Jun 08, 2008•15 min
Sun, Jun 08 2008 Mister Ron's Basement #1085 From 1887, we offer what might be one of the earliest of C. B. Lewis's Mr. Bowser stories to deal with the old grouch's reaction to illness. We call it 'Taking Care of Bowser.' Time: approx seven minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html The M. Quad (C. B. Lewis) Catalog of Stories is at: http://ronevry.com/quad.html The M. Quad (C. B. Lewis) Mister Bowser Catalog of Stories is at:...
Jun 08, 2008•7 min
Fri, Jun 06 2008 Mister Ron's Basement #1084 We wrap up our second week of stories from Bill Nye's 1884 book, 'Forty Liars and Other Lies,' with the title story, 'The Forty Liars.' There are all kinds of inside jokes that most modern listeners won't get, but it is ultimately quite funny anyway. Time: approx nine and a half minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html The Bill Nye Catalog of Stories is at: http://ronevry.com/bill...
Jun 06, 2008•9 min
Thu, Jun 05 2008 Mister Ron's Basement #1083 Bill Nye sends his regards to a fellow newspaper editor in 'Our Compliments' from 1884. Short, but sweet. Time: approx two and a half minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html The Bill Nye Catalog of Stories is at: http://ronevry.com/billnye.html
Jun 05, 2008•2 min
Wed, Jun 04 2008 Mister Ron's Basement #1082 Bill Nye takes a westerner's view of an old legend in 'The True Tale of William Tell' from 1884. Time: approx five minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html The Bill Nye Catalog of Stories is at: http://ronevry.com/billnye.html
Jun 04, 2008•5 min
Tue, Jun 03 2008 Mister Ron's Basement #1081 We can't resist, so here comes another week of wild western stories from Bill Nye's 1884 book, 'Forty Liars and Other Lies.' Today we offer a tragic cautionary tale of the fate of a true desperado, 'The Death of Big Nose George.' Time: approx three and a half minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html The Bill Nye Catalog of Stories is at: http://ronevry.com/billnye.html...
Jun 03, 2008•3 min
Mon, Jun 02 2008 Mister Ron's Basement #1080 For Mark Twain Monday, we present Chapter Six of 'A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court' from 1889 -- this chapter is called 'The Eclipse,' in which our hero performs a miracle... Time: approx fourteen minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html The Mark Twain Catalog of Stories is at: http://ronevry.com/Twain.html The Mark Twain Connecticut Yankee Novel Index of Stories is at:...
Jun 02, 2008•14 min
Sun, Jun 01 2008 Mister Ron's Basement #1079 SUNDAY SALAD features a pair of weather-related stories by Stanley Huntley -- first, a grizzled old-timer explains why he is freezing during a Brooklyn heat wave in 'Warm Weather' from 1883, and we learn how predictions are made in 'The Spoopendykes on Weather Forecasts' (date unknown). Time: approx eleven and a half minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html The Stanley Huntley and...
Jun 01, 2008•12 min
Sat, May 31 2008 Mister Ron's Basement #1078 Mr. Bowser demonstrates his unique Fatherly Skills in 'Bowser Brings Up Baby' from 1887. Time: approx seven and a half minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html The M. Quad (C. B. Lewis) Catalog of Stories is at: http://ronevry.com/quad.html The M. Quad (C. B. Lewis) Mister Bowser Catalog of Stories is at: http://ronevry.com/mrbowser.html...
May 31, 2008•8 min
Fri, May 30 2008 Mister Ron's Basement #1077 Bill Nye's 1884 collection 'Forty Liars and Other Lies' is full of wild and wooly western humor -- Today's may be the wildest and wooliest story ever written -- it's called 'They Let Him Stay.' Time: approx seven minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html The Bill Nye Catalog of Stories is at: http://ronevry.com/billnye.html...
May 30, 2008•7 min
Thu, May 29 2008 Mister Ron's Basement #1076 Bill Nye's 1884 collection 'Forty Liars and Other Lies' is full of wild and wooly western humor -- today we hear about a boy that grew up putting his best foot forward in 'Strive to Excel.' Time: approx five and a half minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html The Bill Nye Catalog of Stories is at: http://ronevry.com/billnye.html...
May 29, 2008•6 min
Wed, May 28 2008 Mister Ron's Basement #1075 Bill Nye's 1884 collection 'Forty Liars and Other Lies' is full of wild and wooly western humor -- today's short tale concerns a young lad who decides to get a drink of water in a rude way in 'The Eccentric Squirt.' Time: approx three and a half minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html The Bill Nye Catalog of Stories is at: http://ronevry.com/billnye.html...
May 29, 2008•3 min
Wed, May 28 2008 Mister Ron's Basement #1074 Bill Nye's 1884 collection 'Forty Liars and Other Lies' is full of wild and wooly western humor -- today we get the point of view of the very first pick of the season in 'Soliloquy of the Watermelon.' Time: approx four and a half minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html The Bill Nye Catalog of Stories is at: http://ronevry.com/billnye.html...
May 28, 2008•4 min
Wed, May 28 2008 Mister Ron's Basement #1073 For Mark Twain Monday, we present Chapter Five of 'A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court' from 1889 -- this chapter is called 'An Inspiration' -- in which our hero gets the goods on Merlin. Time: approx twelve minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html The Mark Twain Catalog of Stories is at: http://ronevry.com/Twain.html The Mark Twain Connecticut Yankee Novel Index of Storie...
May 28, 2008•12 min
Mon, May 26 2008 Mister Ron's Basement #1072 SUNDAY SALAD offers a couple of very short Stanley Huntley pieces from Drake's Traveller's Magazine, and Mr. Spoopendyke plans to go after some ducks in 'A Hunting Excursion' from 1883. Time: approx nine minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html The Stanley Huntley and Spoopendyke Catalog of Stories is at: http://ronevry.com/Spoopendyke_Stories.html...
May 26, 20080
Mon, May 26 2008 Mister Ron's Basement #1071 Here's another Mr. Bowser story from the first few months of the character's existence. By this time, author C. B. Lewis had pretty much gotten old Bowser down pat, and his characteristics would amuse readers for almost forty years afterward. From 1887 comes 'A Picnic.' Time: approx seven and a half minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html The M. Quad (C. B. Lewis) Catalog of Stor...
May 26, 2008•8 min
Mon, May 26 2008 Mister Ron's Basement #1070 'Sketches from Texas Siftings' from 1882, by Alexander E. Sweet and John Armoy, is wrapping up for its second week with a tale of how the bigger out-of-town newspapers get the scoop on local ones in 'A News Factory.' Time: approx five and a half minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html
May 26, 2008•6 min
Wed, May 21 2008 Mister Ron's Basement #1069 'Sketches from Texas Siftings' from 1882, by Alexander E. Sweet and John Armoy, is back again this week. Today we get the straight scoop on the unique weather in the Lone Star State in 'The Texas Climate.' Time: approx six minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html
May 21, 2008•6 min
Tue, May 20 2008 Mister Ron's Basement #1068 'Sketches from Texas Siftings' from 1882, by Alexander E. Sweet and John Armoy, is back again this week. Today we learn the secret of acquiring a train ticket for almost nothing in 'A Foiled Book Agent.' Time: approx five minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html
May 20, 2008•5 min
Tue, May 20 2008 Mister Ron's Basement #1067 'Sketches from Texas Siftings' from 1882, by Alexander E. Sweet and John Armoy, is back again this week. Today's piece describes 'That Typical Texan' and why you won't actually find him anywhere in Texas... Time: approx five and a half minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html
May 20, 2008•6 min
Mon, May 19 2008 Mister Ron's Basement #1066 For Mark Twain Monday, we present Chapter Four of 'A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court' from 1889 -- this chapter is called 'Sir Dinadan the Humorist' -- where our hero is subjected to some truly dated, perhaps petrified humor, along with a death sentence! Time: approx eight and a half minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html The Mark Twain Catalog of Stories is at: http:/...
May 19, 2008•9 min
Mon, May 19 2008 Mister Ron's Basement #1065 SUNDAY SALAD features TWO Stanley Huntley stories this week -- the generation gap in politics is hammered out in the 1882 piece, 'Convincing the Governor' and a complicated issue is made even more puzzling in 'Mrs. Spoopendyke on the Tariff' from 1884. We are definitely running out of Spoopendyke stories, but there's lots more Stanley Huntley humor available. Are you interested in continuing Sunday Salad without the Spoopendykes, or should we move on ...
May 19, 2008•12 min
Sat, May 17 2008 Mister Ron's Basement #1064 From 1887, we feature a Letter to the Editor of the Detroit Free Press complaining about Mrs. Bowser, and a fun tale we call 'Mr. Bowser Fixes Up the House.' Time: approx nine and a half minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html The M. Quad (C. B. Lewis) Catalog of Stories is at: http://ronevry.com/quad.html The M. Quad (C. B. Lewis) Mister Bowser Catalog of Stories is at: http://r...
May 17, 2008•10 min
Thu, May 15 2008 Mister Ron's Basement #1063 Ever wonder how newspapers made money back in the old west? Get a taste in the 1882 tale, 'He Wanted A Notice' from 'Sketches from Texas Siftings' by Alexander E. Sweet and John Armoy Knox. Time: approx five and a half minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html
May 15, 2008•6 min
