Mister Ron's Basement II
Exploring the Universe of Public Domain Humor, featuring the greatest writers in the world, seven days a week! Indexed at http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html
Tue, Jul 31 2007

Mister Ron's Basement #802

Planning on popping the question? Thomas L. Masson provides some handy openers in 'When You Propose' from his 1921 book 'Well, Why Not?'

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 Thomas L. Masson Index of Stories is at:

http://ronevry.com/masson.html

Direct download: revry-2007-07-31.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 8:04am EDT

Mon, Jul 30 2007

Mister Ron's Basement #801

More stories from Thomas L. Masson's 1921 book 'Well, Why Not?' are featured in The Basement this week.

Today, a businessman has an employee recruiting problem in 'The Right Man.'

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 Thomas L. Masson Index of Stories is at:

http://ronevry.com/masson.html

Direct download: revry-2007-07-30.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 1:01pm EDT

Mister Ron's Basement #800 Sun, Jul 29 2007

Mister Ron's Basement #800

We are celebrating Mister Ron's Basement episode number EIGHT HUNDRED!!!

Our Monday book serialization is George Ade's 1903 collection, 'In Babel -- Stories of Chicago.' The stories in this book range from the hysterically funny to the pathetically sad. Altogether, they paint a fascinating portrait of turn-of-the-last-century Chicago.

In celebration of Episode #800, we have a short discussion of George Ade and his writing, then a story from 'In Babel' called 'The Other Girl.'

Time: approx fifteen minutes

The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at:
http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html

The George Ade Catalog of Stories is at:

http://ronevry.com/AdeCatalog.html

Direct download: revry-2007-07-29.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 1:06pm EDT

Sat, Jul 28 2007

Mister Ron's Basement #799

SUNDAY SALAD presents a couple of irreverent Stanley Huntley stories from 1883 -- a religious editor deals with demanding reader in 'Wanted New Ones' and the Spoopendykes try to find a missing Bible in 'Searching the Scriptures.'

Time: approx fifteen 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

Direct download: revry-2007-07-28.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 7:04pm EDT

Fri, Jul 27 2007

Mister Ron's Basement #798

Mr. Bowser shows off his unique prowess in lexicography in 'A Lesson in Spelling' by C. B. Lewis from 1902.

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://ronevry.com/mrbowser.html

Direct download: revry-2007-07-27.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 6:02am EDT

Thu, Jul 26 2007

Mister Ron's Basement #797

The last tale from Thomas L. Masson's 1921 book, 'Well, Why Not?' for this week features a pointed discussion between Satire and Humor in 'Strangers in a Strange Land.'

Time: approx four minutes

The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at:
http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html

The Thomas L. Masson Index of Stories is at:

http://ronevry.com/masson.html

Direct download: revry-2007-07-26.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 4:01am EDT

Wed, Jul 25 2007

Mister Ron's Basement #796

From Thomas L. Masson's 1921 book, 'Well, Why Not?' comes some straight talk on a difficult subject -- 'Jealousy.'

Time: approx four minutes

The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at:
http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html

The Thomas L. Masson Index of Stories is at:

http://ronevry.com/masson.html

Direct download: revry-2007-07-25.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 5:59am EDT

Tue, Jul 24 2007

Mister Ron's Basement #795

From Thomas L. Masson's 1921 collection, we find out what a sensitive and sincere fellow the guy who crams people into crowded Subway cars is in 'My Subway Guard Friend.'

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 Thomas L. Masson Index of Stories is at:

http://ronevry.com/masson.html

Direct download: revry-2007-07-24a.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 6:58pm EDT

Tue, Jul 24 2007

Mister Ron's Basement #794

This week we will be exploring Thomas L. Masson's 1921 book 'Why Not?'

Well, why not?

Today we offer the 'Prologue to Forward' 'Forward to Introduction to Preface' 'Introduction to the Preface' 'Preface' 'P.S.' and 'A Few Remarks' all from the front of the book.

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 Thomas L. Masson Index of Stories is at:

http://ronevry.com/masson.html

Direct download: revry-2007-07-24.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 3:56am EDT

Sun, Jul 22 2007

Mister Ron's Basement #793

Our Monday book serialization is George Ade's 1903 collection, 'In Babel -- Stories of Chicago.'

The stories in this book range from the hysterically funny to the pathetically sad. Altogether, they paint a fascinating portrait of turn-of-the-last-century Chicago.

Today's tale concerns a sophisticated book salesman and a straight talking Chicago businessman. It's called 'Tall-Stoy.'

Time: approx seven minutes

The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at:
http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html

The George Ade Catalog of Stories is at:

http://ronevry.com/AdeCatalog.html

Direct download: revry-2007-07-22.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 2:54am EDT

at, Jul 21 2007

Mister Ron's Basement #792

SUNDAY SALAD presents TWO fun Stanley Huntley tales from 1883 -- A young woman seeks advice from the newspaper 'Questions Man' about a difficult choice in boy friends in 'A Curious Complication' and Mr. and Mrs. Spoopendyke deal with 'A Sore Foot.'

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 Stanley Huntley and Spoopendyke Catalog of Stories is at:

http://ronevry.com/Spoopendyke_Stories.html

Direct download: revry-2007-07-21a.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 4:52pm EDT

Sat, Jul 21 2007

Mister Ron's Basement #791

Mr. Bowser causes horrendous havoc when he brings home an exercise device that doesn't belong in the living room, in C. B. Lewis's 1902 tale, 'The Punching Bag.'

Time: approx nine 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

Direct download: revry-2007-07-21.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 1:50am EDT

Thu, Jul 19 2007

Mister Ron's Basement #790

Let's go buy some vegetables in James M. Bailey's 1880 story, 'Bright Trade Prospects.'

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 James M. Bailey Catalog of Stories is at:

http://ronevry.com/jamesmbailey.html

Direct download: revry-2007-07-19.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 8:49am EDT

Wed, Jul 18 2007

Mister Ron's Basement #789

James M. Bailey's takes a look at the Fourth of July in a story from his 1880 book, 'The Danbury Boom' -- 'Commemorating Our Nationality.'

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 James M. Bailey Catalog of Stories is at:

http://ronevry.com/jamesmbailey.html

Direct download: revry-2007-07-18.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 1:47am EDT

Tue, Jul 17 2007

Mister Ron's Basement #788

James M. Bailey's 1880 book, 'The Danbury Boom' provides us with yet another fun story.

Today we hear a romantic tale of a couple beset by economic circumstances in 'The Practical Side of Love.'

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 James M. Bailey Catalog of Stories is at:

http://ronevry.com/jamesmbailey.html

Direct download: revry-2007-07-17.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 4:46am EDT

Mon, Jul 16 2007

Mister Ron's Basement #787

More stories from James M. Bailey's 1880 book, 'The Danbury Boom' are in the Basement this week!

Today's tale involves a hammock, a dog, and a big pail of molasses. It's called 'New England Inquisitiveness'

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 James M. Bailey Catalog of Stories is at:

http://ronevry.com/jamesmbailey.html

Direct download: revry-2007-07-16.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 1:43am EDT

Sun, Jul 15 2007

Mister Ron's Basement #786

Our Monday book serialization is George Ade's 1903 collection, 'In Babel -- Stories of Chicago.'

The stories in this book range from the hysterically funny to the pathetically sad. Altogether, they paint a fascinating portrait of turn-of-the-last-century Chicago.

Two families have it out in court, but their babies don't understand it in 'The Feud.'

Time: approx six and a half minutes

The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at:
http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html

The George Ade Catalog of Stories is at:

http://ronevry.com/AdeCatalog.html

Direct download: revry-2007-07-15b.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 11:42pm EDT

Sun, Jul 15 2007

Mister Ron's Basement #785

SUNDAY SALAD presents three riotously funny stories by Stanley Huntley, all from May 6, 1883 --

1) One of the first stories of a con artist at the Brooklyn Bridge called 'Been There Before'

2) A Temperance crusader engages the Managing Editor in 'Sustaining the Cause'

and

3) Mr. Spoopendyke brings home an unexpected dinner guest in 'A Slim Banquet'

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 Stanley Huntley and Spoopendyke Catalog of Stories is at:

http://ronevry.com/Spoopendyke_Stories.html

Direct download: revry-2007-07-15a.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 4:40pm EDT

Sun, Jul 15 2007

Mister Ron's Basement #784

Mister Bowser falls victim to a Quack with shocking results in C. B. Lewis's 1902 tale 'He Toys With an Electric Battery.'

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 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

Direct download: revry-2007-07-15.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 1:38am EDT

Thu, Jul 12 2007

Mister Ron's Basement #783

At last, Mr. Cobleigh leads the Reform Party to victory! Or does he?

Today's reading from James M. Bailey's 1880 book, 'The Danbury Boom, is called 'The Uprising of the Masses.'

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 James M. Bailey Catalog of Stories is at:

http://ronevry.com/jamesmbailey.html

Direct download: revry-2007-07-12.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 8:34am EDT

Wed, Jul 11 2007

Mister Ron's Basement #782

Mr. Cobleigh finally gets to impress the entire Danbury reform movement by giving his well-prepared speech -- or does he? Today's tale, from James M. Bailey's 1880 book, 'The Danbury Boom,' 'The Masses Prepare to Uprise.'

Time: approx sixteen minutes

The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at:
http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html

The James M. Bailey Catalog of Stories is at:

http://ronevry.com/jamesmbailey.html

Direct download: revry-2007-07-11.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 10:29am EDT

Tue, Jul 10 2007

Mister Ron's Basement #781

James M. Bailey's 1880 book 'The Danbury Boom!' explores the clash between lofty public speech-writing, and cleaning the house in the uproarious 'Mr. Cobleigh Gets Down to Business.'

Time: approx eleven minutes

The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at:
http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html

The James M. Bailey Catalog of Stories is at:

http://ronevry.com/jamesmbailey.html

Direct download: revry-2007-07-10.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 7:27am EDT

Mon, Jul 09 2007

Mister Ron's Basement #780

From James M. Bailey's hysterical hodgepodge of a book published in 1880, 'The Danbury Boom!' comes a selection called 'Mr. Cobleigh Becomes A Standard Bearer.'

Time: approx thirteen and a half minutes

The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at:
http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html

The James M. Bailey Catalog of Stories is at:

http://ronevry.com/jamesmbailey.html

Direct download: revry-2007-07-09.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 4:24pm EDT

Sun, Jul 08 2007

Mister Ron's Basement #779

Our Monday book serialization is George Ade's 1903 collection, 'In Babel -- Stories of Chicago.'

The stories in this book range from the hysterically funny to the pathetically sad. Altogether, they paint a fascinating portrait of turn-of-the-last-century Chicago.

Today's chapter is a charming tale of a country girl working as a servant for a wealthy Chicago family, called 'Effie Whittlesy.'

Time: approx thirteen and a half minutes

The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at:
http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html

The George Ade Catalog of Stories is at:

http://ronevry.com/AdeCatalog.html

Direct download: revry-2007-07-08a.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 9:23pm EDT

Sun, Jul 08 2007

Mister Ron's Basement #778

SUNDAY SALAD offers two Stanley Huntley stories from 1883 -- first we have a behind-the-scenes discussion of how to handle a news story between the newspaper's managing and religious editors, called 'A Technical Question.' Then Mr. and Mrs. Spoopendyke practice for a play in 'Rehearsing for Private Theatricals.'

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 Stanley Huntley and Spoopendyke Catalog of Stories is at:

http://ronevry.com/Spoopendyke_Stories.html

Direct download: revry-2007-07-08.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 6:21am EDT

Sat, Jul 07 2007

Mister Ron's Basement #777

This is episode number 777, posted on 7-07-07!

Mr. Bowser dreams of fame and glory as he performs a courageous act in the 1921 C. B. Lewis story, 'Mr. Bowser is Brave.'

Time: approx nine 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

Direct download: revry-2007-07-07a.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 7:07am EDT

Sat, Jul 07 2007

Mister Ron's Basement #776

Charles Battell Loomis's 1906 collection 'Cheer Up!' is loaded with very short and delightful pieces. Today we present the second part of a two-parter concerning an old-fashioned druggist and a hard-driving advertising man that we call 'Sweet Violets.'

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 Charles Battell Loomis Catalog of Stories is at:

http://ronevry.com/charlesbattellloomis.html

Direct download: revry-2007-07-07.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 1:17am EDT

Thu, Jul 05 2007

Mister Ron's Basement #775

Charles Battell Loomis's 1906 collection 'Cheer Up!' is loaded with very short and delightful pieces. Today we present the first part of a two-parter concerning an old-fashioned druggist and a hard-driving advertising man that we call 'Sweet Violets.'

Time: approx nine minutes

The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at:
http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html

The Charles Battell Loomis Catalog of Stories is at:

http://ronevry.com/charlesbattellloomis.html

Direct download: revry-2007-07-05.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 3:15am EDT

Wed, Jul 04 2007

Mister Ron's Basement #774

Charles Battell Loomis's 1906 collection 'Cheer Up!' is loaded with very short and delightful pieces. Loomis was occasionally capable of dishing out hilarious sarcasm. Today's tale is a fine example of this. We call it 'Our Advertising Heritage.'

Time: approx six minutes

The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at:
http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html

The Charles Battell Loomis Catalog of Stories is at:

http://ronevry.com/charlesbattellloomis.html

Direct download: revry-2007-07-04.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 5:14pm EDT

Tue, Jul 03 2007

Mister Ron's Basement #773

Charles Battell Loomis's 1906 collection 'Cheer Up!' is loaded with very short and delightful pieces. Today we explore a disturbing 'new' trend in memory problems in a story we like to call 'Forget It.'

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 Charles Battell Loomis Catalog of Stories is at:

http://ronevry.com/charlesbattellloomis.html

Direct download: revry-2007-07-03.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 8:12am EDT

Mon, Jul 02 2007

Mister Ron's Basement #772

Our Monday book serialization is George Ade's 1903 collection, 'In Babel -- Stories of Chicago.'

The stories in this book range from the hysterically funny to the pathetically sad. Altogether, they paint a fascinating portrait of turn-of-the-last-century Chicago.

Today's chapter presents a hobo's dream turned into a nightmare. It's called 'Why Gondola Was Put Away' and is truly funny. Please note: I have slightly edited this story for modern sensibilities. Read the original if you're curious why I did this.

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 George Ade Catalog of Stories is at:

http://ronevry.com/AdeCatalog.html

Direct download: revry-2007-07-02.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 9:10am EDT

Sun, Jul 01 2007

Mister Ron's Basement #771

Today's SUNDAY SALAD features THREE stories -- the first one was written about Stanley Huntley in The New York Sun in 1885, called 'He Threw Away Four Queens.' From the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, we have a fanciful poem by Huntley called 'As the Indian Regards It' from 1880, and the Spoopendykes bone out the weather forecast in 'A Lucid Description' from 1881.

Time: approx fifteen 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

Direct download: revry-2007-07-01a.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 6:08pm EDT

Sun, Jul 01 2007

Mister Ron's Basement #770

Mrs. Bowser waits for the shoe to drop in C. B. Lewis's 1902 story 'A Happy Family.'

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://ronevry.com/mrbowser.html

Direct download: revry-2007-07-01.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 2:06am EDT