Sat, Feb 28 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1302 Our Saturday Night Special is Part One of a Three Part tale by Mark Twain -- one of his funniest stories ever -- 'The Stolen White Elephant.' Don't miss this! Time: approx eighteen 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: http://ronevry.com/Connect...
Feb 28, 2009•18 min
Fri, Feb 27 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1301 Robert J. Burdette was enamored of gentle, humorous observations of life. This week, we have been reading from his 1879 collection, 'Innach Garden.' Today's tale has our narrator visiting barbers in different cities to get shaves, and winding up 'Getting My Hair Trimmed.' It's a truly fun story. 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 Robert J. Bu...
Feb 27, 2009•10 min
Thu, Feb 26 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1300 Welcome to the 1300th Episode of Mister Ron's Basement! We've been doing these almost every day for nearly four years now, and we have lots more fun stuff planned for you in the future! Meanwhile, to celebrate this milestone Episode, we are presenting one of the funniest stories ever. It's by Robert J. Burdette, and it comes from his 1912 book 'Old Time, Young Tom.' This tale simply builds and builds -- it is entitled 'The Relief of the Slamrack.' You...
Feb 26, 2009•17 min
Wed, Feb 25 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1299 Robert J. Burdette was enamored of gentle, humorous observations of life. This week, we are reading from his 1879 collection, 'Innach Garden.' How can you tell when Good Times have returned? Find out today in 'Fiat Money.' 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 Robert J. Burdette Catalog of Stories is at: http://ronevry.com/burdette.html...
Feb 25, 2009•3 min
Tue, Feb 24 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1298 Robert J. Burdette was enamored of gentle, humorous observations of life. This week, we will be reading from his 1879 collection, 'Innach Garden.' Today we hear about a comic newspaper writer and his typesetter -- It is called 'The Compositor Fiend,' and it is very funny when you listen carefully... 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 Robert J...
Feb 24, 2009•4 min
Mon, Feb 23 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1297 SUNDAY SALAD offers only ONE Stanley Huntley this week, as Mister Ron attempts to heal a sore throat (expect more pops and snaps than usual as the mic gain had to be turned WAY up). From 1881, we offer a tale of members of the Medical Profession offering a variety of opinions in 'A Question of Tests.' Time: approx four minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html The Stanley Huntley a...
Feb 23, 2009•4 min
Sat, Feb 21 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1296 Tonight's SPECIAL story belatedly celebrates Charles Darwin's 200th Birthday from earlier this month, with an 1877 tale of natural selection by W. L. Alden, called 'A New Point for Darwinians.' Time: approx eight minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html The W. L. Alden Catalog of Stories is at: http://ronevry.com/alden.html...
Feb 22, 2009•8 min
Fri, Feb 20 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1295 In 1908, Grenville Kleiser edited a wonderful collection called 'Humorous Hits - And - How to Hold an Audience' featuring fun pieces by assorted authors. This week we have been reading some of them. Today's Anonymously written tale skirts the borders of good taste -- but we're reading it anyway, because it is sort of clever -- it's called 'The Crooked Mouth Family.' Time: approx five minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http...
Feb 20, 2009•5 min
Thu, Feb 19 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1294 In 1908, Grenville Kleiser edited a wonderful collection called 'Humorous Hits - And - How to Hold an Audience' featuring fun pieces by assorted authors. This week we are reading some of them. Today's tale is by an anonymous author -- it concerns a misinformed minister and a bereaved housewife -- 'A Big Mistake.' Time: approx five minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html...
Feb 20, 2009•8 hr 42 min
Thu, Feb 19 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1293 In 1908, Grenville Kleiser edited a wonderful collection called 'Humorous Hits - And - How to Hold an Audience' featuring fun pieces by assorted authors. This week we are reading some of them. Morris Wade was a popular turn-of-the-century poet and writer. In today's piece, we visit some highly cultured ladies 'At Five O'Clock Tea.' Time: approx five and a half minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Ro...
Feb 19, 2009•5 min
Wed, Feb 18 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1292 In 1908, Grenville Kleiser edited a wonderful collection called 'Humorous Hits - And - How to Hold an Audience' featuring fun pieces by assorted authors. This week we will be reading some of them. Today's short story from Robert J. Burdette is an absolute scream -- it is called 'A Twilight Idyl.' It originally appeared in Burdette's 'Innach Garden, and Other Comic Sketches' published in 1879. Time: approx six and a half minutes Time: approx five and a...
Feb 18, 2009•7 min
Tue, Feb 17 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1291 For Mark Twain Monday, we present Chapter Thirty-One of 'A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court' from 1889 -- where the Boss spends money all over town -- 'Marco.' Time: approx sixteen 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: http://ronevry.co...
Feb 17, 2009•16 min
Mon, Feb 16 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1290 SUNDAY SALAD features TWO Stanley Huntley pieces from 1882. First, a show producer comes up with a a truly novel idea in 'An Original Attraction.' Next, the managing editor remarkably fills in for the 'answer man' with some ladies clothing style advice in 'A Discussion on the Fashions.' Time: approx ten 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 C...
Feb 16, 2009•10 min
Sat, Feb 14 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1289 In celebration of Valentine's Day, we are offering a very special Valentine poem by Ellis Parker Butler from 1896. It's called 'Maude's Valentine' (we strongly suggest listening to this first before you cleverly play it as a last minute Valentine for your beloved). 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 Ellis Parker Butler Catalog of Stories is at...
Feb 14, 2009•3 min
Fri, Feb 13 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1288 Douglas Malloch wrote outdoor adventures and poetry, and was an editor of American Lumberman Magazine. In 1911 American Lumberman published his fun book, 'Resawed Fables.' This week we have been reading stories from that book. Today's looney fable concerns an ancient philosopher who provided inspiration for a modern lumber man. It's called 'Of Socrates and the Man from Wisconsin.' Time: approx five and a half minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Cat...
Feb 13, 2009•6 min
Thu, Feb 12 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1287 Douglas Malloch wrote outdoor adventures and poetry, and was an editor of American Lumberman Magazine. In 1911 American Lumberman published his fun book, 'Resawed Fables.' This week we are reading stories from that book. You know this guy -- working seven days a week is never enough -- here's his story -- 'Of Taking a Few Days Off.' Time: approx four and a half minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_R...
Feb 12, 2009•4 min
Wed, Feb 11 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1286 Douglas Malloch wrote outdoor adventures and poetry, and was an editor of American Lumberman Magazine. In 1911 American Lumberman published his fun book, 'Resawed Fables.' This week we are reading stories from that book. Today's tale concerns the doings of the tenderest of the tender among Tenderfeet in the wild west -- it's called 'Of the Straw that Dislocated the Camel's Vertebrae.' Time: approx five and a half minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full...
Feb 11, 2009•6 min
Tue, Feb 10 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1285 Douglas Malloch wrote outdoor adventures and poetry, and was an editor of American Lumberman Magazine. In 1911 American Lumberman published his fun book, 'Resawed Fables.' This week we are reading stories from that book. Today's story concerns three very different sons -- it's called 'Of Yielding to Temptation.' Time: approx seven minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html...
Feb 10, 2009•7 min
Mon, Feb 09 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1284 For Mark Twain Monday, we present Chapter Thirty (Part Two of Two) of 'A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court' from 1889 -- where we learn a bit about duty -- 'The Tragedy of the Manor House.' 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 Stor...
Feb 09, 2009•12 min
Sun, Feb 08 2009 MIster Ron's Basement #1283 SUNDAY SALAD offers TWO Stanley Huntley pieces from 1883 (no Spoopendyke stories yet -- sorry, we're still looking). First, a tramp tries to put one over on a bartender with a dead cat and a dead sparrow in 'Mistaken in Something.' The next story involves a once-popular holiday called 'Evacuation Day.' 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 Stanle...
Feb 08, 2009•11 min
Sat, Feb 07 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1282 We have a special surprise Saturday BONUS episode of the Basement today! We are adding on an extra special story from Frederic Thomas Somerby's 'Hits and Dashes; or A Medley of Sketches and Scraps, Touching People and Things,' from 1852. It is called 'Uncle Ephraim's Husking,' and is a delightful description of the events that occurred at a traditional husking bee, where a community would gather to husk a farmer's corn crop and have a party in the pro...
Feb 07, 2009•15 min
Fri, Feb 06 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1281 Frederic Thomas Somerby, who reported on the folks of Newburyport, Massachusetts and the general area (including parts of Maine and New Hampshire) for the old Boston Post in the 1850s under the pen name of 'Cymon,' published a collection called 'Hits and Dashes; or A Medley of Sketches and Scraps, Touching People and Things' back in 1852. When someone attempts to tell you how wonderful something is, take it with a grain of salt, as we shall see in 'In...
Feb 06, 2009•4 min
Fri, Feb 06 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1280 Frederic Thomas Somerby, who reported on the doings in Newburyport, Massachusetts and the general neighborhood (including parts of Maine and New Hampshire) for the old Boston Post in the 1850s under the pen name of 'Cymon,' published a collection called 'Hits and Dashes; or A Medley of Sketches and Scraps, Touching People and Things' back in 1852. In today's tale two cold and weary travelers spend the night at the home of a farmer who has a beautiful ...
Feb 06, 20090
Thu, Feb 05 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1279 Frederic Thomas Somerby, who wrote pieces about Newburyport, Massachusetts and the general neighborhood (including parts of Maine and New Hampshire) for the old Boston Post in the 1850s under the pen name of 'Cymon,' published a collection called 'Hits and Dashes; or A Medley of Sketches and Scraps, Touching People and Things' back in 1852. Today, we hear of a fiercely funny clash of armies in 'The Battle of Quamphegan.' Time: approx seven minutes The...
Feb 05, 2009•7 min
Thu, Feb 05 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1278 Frederic Thomas Somerby, who wrote pieces about Newburyport, Massachusetts for the old Boston Post in the 1850s under the pen name of 'Cymon,' left behind a collection called 'Hits and Dashes; or A Medley of Sketches and Scraps, Touching People and Things.' From that book, we present a story of an encounter with a breathtakingly beautiful maiden in the wilds of New Hampshire entitled 'The Gem of Moose Mountain.' Time: approx four and a half minutes Th...
Feb 05, 2009•4 min
Tue, Feb 03 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1277 For Mark Twain Monday, we present Chapter Thirty (Part One of Two) of 'A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court' from 1889 -- where we see a lot of people hanging around -- 'The Tragedy of the Manor House.' Time: approx eleven 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 I...
Feb 03, 2009•11 min
Sun, Feb 01 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1276 SUNDAY SALAD offers TWO strange Stanley Huntley pieces from 1883 (sorry, no Spoopendyke stories today). First, two old biddies offer each other some esoteric advice in 'An Exchange of Remedies.' Next, we offer a fantasy tale from Huntley where he takes the phrase Total Depravity of Inanimate Things quite literally in 'New Light Upon An Old Question.' Time: approx nine minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/M...
Feb 01, 2009•9 min
Sat, Jan 31 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1275 January 31st is, as everyone should know, 'National Gorilla Suit Day,' and in celebration, we are presenting our THIRD annual Gorilla Suit story (The first two can be found by clicking here and here ). It was written by one of our favorite authors, W. L. Alden, and originally appeared in 1893. It is called 'Gorilla Romance.' Time: approx seventeen minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catal...
Jan 31, 2009•17 min
Fri, Jan 30 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1274 Honesty is often considered to be its own reward, but this is not the case in Bill Nye's super-short piece from 1881, 'He Rewarded Her.' Time: approx two 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...
Jan 30, 2009•2 min
Fri, Jan 30 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1273 From 1881, Bill Nye offers us an extremely short, fun, but sad tale, 'Sic Semper Gloria Houseplant.' 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
Jan 30, 2009•4 min
