Thur Apr 21, 2011 Mister Ron's Basement No. 1925 While definitely of his time, Ellis Parker Butler’s stories are still witty today. From 1922, Butler imagines life on a Desert Island with absolutely nothing to do, and compares it to the liberating household machinery of his day in ‘Kitchen Efficiency.’ Time: approx sixteen and a half minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html The Ellis Parker Butler index of stories is located at: ...
Apr 21, 2011•17 min
Wed Apr 20, 2011 Mister Ron's Basement No. 1924 The works of Ellis Parker Butler are still hilarious even in the 21st Century! We offer another 1911 piece by Butler, from the era before Women could vote or serve on Juries. We explore the deliberations of twelve idiot men ‘On Jury Duty.’ Time: approx twenty and a half minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html The Ellis Parker Butler index of stories is located at: http://ronevry.co...
Apr 20, 2011•20 min
Tue Apr 19, 2011 Mister Ron's Basement No. 1923 The works of Ellis Parker Butler still remain laugh-out-loud funny today! Today’s 1911 Butler piece explores new directions in modern writing, in ‘The Scenic Novel.’ Time: approx fifteen and a half minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html The Ellis Parker Butler index of stories is located at: http://ronevry.com/EllisParkerButler.html *There is a nifty interview with Mister Ron in i...
Apr 19, 2011•16 min
Mon, Apr 18, 2011 Mister Ron’s Basement No. 1922 Our current Monday Novel Serialization is W. L. Alden’s 1888 book, ‘A New Robinson Crusoe.’ This is the story of a sailor who gets shipwrecked with Robinson Crusoe’s pain-in-the-neck Grandson, who wants to do everything the way his Grandfather did. In Chapter Thirteen, Mr. Crusoe gets extremely sick, and Michael the Sailor tries every medicine he can get his hands on to cure him. Time: approx fourteen and a half minutes The Mister Ron’s Basement C...
Apr 18, 2011•14 min
Fri Apr 15, 2011 Mister Ron's Basement No. 1921 This week, we have dug out some more truly rare Bill Nye stories, always a treat to read and to hear. A unique treat - - for the second day in a row, we offer another Bill Nye piece on our First President. From 1886, we are reading ‘Words About Washington.’ Time: approx six and a half minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html The Index of Bill Nye stories is located at: http://ronevr...
Apr 15, 2011•6 min
Thur Apr 14, 2011 Mister Ron's Basement No. 1920 This week, we have dug out some more truly rare Bill Nye stories, always a treat to read and to hear. Today we feature an 1885 Nye tale that apparently never appeared in a book, but was in newspapers. It is called ‘George Washington.’ We had quite a bit of trouble reading this scan from a newspaper page, but believe that most of it came through okay. Time: approx seven minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/M...
Apr 14, 2011•7 min
Wed Apr 13, 2011 Mister Ron's Basement No. 1919 This week, we have dug out some more truly rare Bill Nye stories, always a treat to read and to hear. These days, so many politicians try their very best to give all they can to extremely rich people, which is nothing new, as we hear in ‘Bill Nye’s Appeal in Behalf of Vanderbilt’ from 1884. By the way, The Vanderbilt’s Biltmore Mansion was being built just a stone’s throw away from Nye’s home in Asheville, NC, and he often commented and made ‘neigh...
Apr 13, 2011•5 min
Tue Apr 12, 2011 Mister Ron's Basement No. 1918 This week, we have dug out some more truly rare Bill Nye stories, always a treat to read and to hear. Today’s 1884 piece offers Nye’s musings on the vote for women - it’s called ‘Petticoats at the Polls.’ Time: approx eight minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html The Index of Bill Nye stories is located at: http://ronevry.com/billnye.html *There is a nifty interview with Mister Ron...
Apr 12, 2011•8 min
Mon, Apr 11, 2011 Mister Ron’s Basement No. 1917 Our current Monday Novel Serialization is W. L. Alden’s 1888 book, ‘A New Robinson Crusoe.’ This is the story of a sailor who gets shipwrecked with Robinson Crusoe’s pain-in-the-neck Grandson, who wants to do everything the way his Grandfather did. In Chapter Twelve, Michael gets tied up as Crusoe goes nuts and heads out to hunt cannibals. Time: approx fifteen minutes The Mister Ron’s Basement Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Ron...
Apr 11, 2011•15 min
Sat Apr 9, 2011 Mister Ron's Basement No. 1916 Our Saturday Night Special story is by Palmer Cox, from an 1889 collection of his pre-Brownies ‘Frontier Humor.’ Cox encounters an army of malevolent mosquitos, a humorless town with an orchestra consisting only of a pointy-headed bald oboe player, and a man racing to change clothes unnoticed, while a train rushes through a tunnel, all in the story, ‘A Trip to the Interior.’ Time: approx seventeen and a half minutes Please try to enter our ‘Gorilla ...
Apr 09, 2011•18 min
Thur Apr 7, 2011 Mister Ron's Basement No. 1915 This week, we have dug out some truly rare Bill Nye stories, always a treat to read and to hear. From 1885, Bill Nye and a partner dream of riches as they hunt for nuggets in ‘Fool Gold.’ Time: approx six minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html The Index of Bill Nye stories is located at: http://ronevry.com/billnye.html *There is a nifty interview with Mister Ron in issue #59 iPron...
Apr 07, 2011•6 min
Wed Apr 6, 2011 Mister Ron's Basement No. 1914 This week, we will be digging out some scarce Bill Nye stories, always a treat to read and to hear. Our 1885 Nye piece today is quite instructional - ‘How to Behave on a Railroad Train.’ Time: approx five and a half minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html The Index of Bill Nye stories is located at: http://ronevry.com/billnye.html *There is a nifty interview with Mister Ron in issue...
Apr 06, 2011•5 min
Tue Apr 5, 2011 Mister Ron's Basement No. 1913 This week, we will be digging out some scarce Bill Nye stories, always a treat to read and to hear. Today’s short but informative piece from 1885 concerns ‘Trustworthy Facts About Brain.’ Time: approx three and a half minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html The Index of Bill Nye stories is located at: http://ronevry.com/billnye.html *There is a nifty interview with Mister Ron in iss...
Apr 05, 2011•4 min
Mon, Apr 4, 2011 Mister Ron’s Basement No. 1912 Our current Monday Novel Serialization is W. L. Alden’s 1888 book, ‘A New Robinson Crusoe.’ This is the story of a sailor who gets shipwrecked with Robinson Crusoe’s pain-in-the-neck Grandson, who wants to do everything the way his Grandfather did. In Chapter Eleven, Crusoe destroys all the clothes except the Goat Skins, and smashes all the dishes and crockery, to his regret. Time: approx thirteen and a half minutes The Mister Ron’s Basement Catalo...
Apr 04, 2011•14 min
Sat Apr 2, 2011 Mister Ron's Basement No. 1911 Our Saturday Night Special story was written by Madeline Orvis back in 1898. A mother visits her daughter’s Manhattan apartment and gives her a little lecture. It’s called ‘Women’s Ways.’ Time: approx six and a half minutes Mister Ron's Basement Gorilla Contest! Our week of Gorilla Stories presented from March 28th through April 1st have inspired Mister Ron’s Gorilla Costume Contest! That is right! The winner of this contest will win a real Gorilla ...
Apr 02, 2011•7 min
Fri Apr 1, 2011 Mister Ron's Basement No. 1910 Welcome to Gorilla Week in The Basement! Today we present the last of some ancient stories about Gorillas! Today we also are announcing a contest with a unique and special prize! Be certain to listen to all of this week's Gorilla stories for clues and inspiration! Our piece was reprinted in an American Magazine in 1861 from the British Satire Journal, Punch Magazine. It concerns a delegation of Gorilla Dignitaries, and is called 'Punch's Preface to ...
Apr 01, 2011•13 min
Thur Mar 31, 2011 Mister Ron’s Basement No. 1909 Welcome to Gorilla Week in The Basement! All week long we will be presenting some ancient stories about Gorillas! On Friday, April 1st, we will be announcing a contest with a unique and special prize! Meanwhile, keep listening to our Gorilla tales for clues and inspiration. Today’s uncredited piece appeared in the Christmas Edition of The Brooklyn Eagle from 1898. It’s the story of a little boy magically transported to a land of talking political ...
Mar 31, 2011•8 min
Wed Mar 30, 2011 Mister Ron’s Basement No. 1908 Welcome to Gorilla Week in The Basement! All week long we will be presenting some ancient stories about Gorillas! On Friday, April 1st, we will be announcing a contest with a unique and special prize! Meanwhile, keep listening to our Gorilla tales for clues and inspiration. Published in the short period between the beginning of the Civil War and the routing of the Union Army at the Battle of Manassas, this little poem (concerning Gorillas and soldi...
Mar 30, 2011•3 min
Tue Mar 29, 2011 Mister Ron’s Basement No. 1907 Welcome to Gorilla Week in The Basement! All week long we will be presenting some ancient stories about Gorillas! On Friday, April 1st, we will be announcing a contest with a unique and special prize! Meanwhile, keep listening to our Gorilla tales for clues and inspiration. Our very short uncredited story from 1877 deals with a man with ‘A Familiar Face.’ Time: approx three and a half minutes The Mister Ron’s Basement Catalog can be found at: http:...
Mar 29, 2011•3 min
Mon Mar 28, 2011 Mister Ron’s Basement No. 1906 Welcome to Gorilla Week in The Basement! All week long we will be presenting some ancient stories about Gorillas! On Friday, April 1st, we will be announcing a contest with a unique and special prize! Meanwhile, keep listening to our Gorilla tales for clues and inspiration. Today’s 1859 piece concerns bringing the Gorilla in as a member of modern human civilization. This anonymously written story is called ‘Civilization of the Gorilla.’ Time: appro...
Mar 28, 2011•6 min
Sat Mar 26, 2011 Mister Ron’s Basement No. 1905 Our Saturday Night Special story comes from the pen of the little-known M. B. Butler, from 1884. In this tale, a grandmother tells of a story that was told to her grandmother from a third generation grandmother about a member of the distinguished family tree who quite literally went out on a limb. It’s called ‘An Uncanny Legend.’ Time: approx ten minutes The Mister Ron’s Basement Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog....
Mar 26, 2011•10 min
Fri Mar 25, 2011 Mister Ron’s Basement No. 1904 We are wrapping up a week of short stories by the great Southern Writer, Opie P. Read. Today we offer a lengthier Read story from 1892. It’s a suspenseful tale of a lifetime of feuding and vengeance, and the power of love. It is called ‘He Was a Bronson.’ Time: approx twenty-seven minutes The Mister Ron’s Basement Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html *There is a nifty interview with Mister Ron in issue #59 iPron...
Mar 25, 2011•27 min
Thur Mar 24, 2011 Mister Ron’s Basement No. 1903 This week, we have found some wonderful short stories by the great Southern Writer, Opie P. Read. Today’s extremely funny tale from 1886 concerns an Arkansas farmer and his son who make a trade for the rights to marry a widow. It’s called ‘Saved by a Fiddle.’ Time: approx twelve minutes The Mister Ron’s Basement Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html *There is a nifty interview with Mister Ron in issue #59 iProng...
Mar 24, 2011•12 min
Wed Mar 23, 2011 Mister Ron’s Basement No. 1902 This week, we have found some wonderful short stories by the great Southern Writer, Opie P. Read. Today we present one of Read’s most charming tales from 1888, about an old man and a young lady who love to discuss books together. It is called ‘Despite His Age.’ Time: approx thirteen minutes The Mister Ron’s Basement Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html *There is a nifty interview with Mister Ron in issue #59 iPr...
Mar 23, 2011•13 min
Tue Mar 22, 2011 Mister Ron’s Basement No. 1901 This week, we have found some wonderful short stories by the great Southern Writer, Opie P. Read. Today’s 1888 tale is of a cranky old man out to shoot his daughter’s beau. It is called ‘Uncle Buck.’ Time: approx twelve and a half minutes The Mister Ron’s Basement Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html *There is a nifty interview with Mister Ron in issue #59 iProng Magazine (now known as Beatweek Magazine) which c...
Mar 22, 2011•13 min
Mon, Mar 21, 2011 Mister Ron’s Basement No. 1900 Welcome to our 1900th Episode! Our current Monday Novel Serialization is W. L. Alden’s 1888 book, ‘A New Robinson Crusoe.’ This is the story of a sailor who gets shipwrecked with Robinson Crusoe’s pain-in-the-neck Grandson, who wants to do everything the way his Grandfather did. In Chapter Ten, the castaways discover the footprints of a woman’s shoe, among other strange things... Time: approx sixteen minutes The Mister Ron’s Basement Catalog can b...
Mar 21, 2011•16 min
Sat Mar 19, 2011 Mister Ron’s Basement No. 1899 Our Saturday Night Special story concerns the conflicting emotions of an embarrassed, and thoroughly soaked young lady in the Village of Tooting. From 1897, we present W. L. Alden’s hysterically funny ‘How to Please A Woman.’ Time: approx eight and a half minutes The Mister Ron’s Basement Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html The Index of W. L. Alden stories is located at: http://ronevry.com/alden.html *There is ...
Mar 19, 2011•9 min
Fri Mar 18, 2011 Mister Ron’s Basement # 1898 March is Women’s History Month! In celebration, we are reading fun stories by 19th and early 20th Century women writers! We wrap up the week with a shocking look at germs and other microscopic perils found, apparently, everywhere! It’s by Lurana W. Sheldon, from 1892, and entitled ‘Too Progressive for Him.’ Time: approx four and a half minutes The Mister Ron’s Basement Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html *There i...
Mar 18, 2011•5 min
Thur Mar 17, 2011 Mister Ron’s Basement # 1897 March is Women’s History Month! In celebration, we are reading fun stories by 19th and early 20th Century women writers! We have always enjoyed Kate Sanborn’s pieces in the Basement. She was the author of the 19th Century book ‘The Wit of Women,’ and was very much ahead of her time. In the years following the Civil War, women drastically outnumbered men in the U. S., and this went on for decades. Kate Sanborn examines this issue with her own witty o...
Mar 17, 2011•11 min
Wed Mar 16, 2011 Mister Ron’s Basement # 1896 March is Women’s History Month! In celebration, we are reading fun stories by 19th and early 20th Century women writers! Nina R. Allen brings us a deliciously funny bit from 1895 today. It’s called ‘His Wife Writes Poetry.’ Time: approx three and a half minutes The Mister Ron’s Basement Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html *There is a nifty interview with Mister Ron in issue #59 iProng Magazine (now known as Beatw...
Mar 16, 2011•3 min
