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
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_Catalog.html

The W. L. Alden Catalog of Stories is at:

http://ronevry.com/alden.html

Direct download: revry-2009-01-31.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 1:05am EDT

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

Direct download: revry-2009-01-30a.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 1:03pm EDT

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

Direct download: revry-2009-01-30.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 12:01am EDT

Thu, Jan 29 2009

Mister Ron's Basement #1272

We are continuing to explore the woolly western humor of Bill Nye, with a tale of a tonsorial parlor visit gone awry in 'A Hairsbreadth Escape' from 1881.

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

Direct download: revry-2009-01-29.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 11:00am EDT

Wed, Jan 28 2009

Mister Ron's Basement #1271

Edgar Wilson ('Bill') Nye was one the funniest people ever to put pen to paper.

An excellent example of this is his 1881 story about tobacco-chewing in Church, 'Fine-Cut As a Means of Grace'.'

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

Direct download: revry-2009-01-28.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 1:58am EDT

Tue, Jan 27 2009

Mister Ron's Basement #1270

For Mark Twain Monday, we present Chapter Twenty-Nine of 'A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court' from 1889 -- where the Boss and the King visit 'The Smallpox Hut.' This chapter is not even close to being funny! It is one of the saddest things we've ever read...

Time: approx sixteen 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:

http://ronevry.com/Connecticut.html

Direct download: revry-2009-01-27.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 1:55am EDT

Mon, Jan 26 2009

Mister Ron's Basement #1269

SUNDAY SALAD has TWO funny Stanley Huntley stories today! First, a pained young woman seeks help from a newspaper editor in 'An Idyl' from 1883. Then, from 1881, 'The New Society Reporter' discusses the events of a Fancy High Class Event.

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 Stanley Huntley and Spoopendyke Catalog of Stories is at:

http://ronevry.com/Spoopendyke_Stories.html

Direct download: revry-2009-01-26.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 3:53am EDT

Sun, Jan 25 2009

Mister Ron's Basement #1268

We have presented around one hundred and twenty of C. B. Lewis's Mr. Bowser stories for the last couple of years. While Lewis wrote these every week for almost forty years, we are not going to try to read all, or even most of them. So this week's episode is the LAST Bowser story we will read (for the time being).

We have catalogued ALL the Mr. Bowser stories presented here at the link below. Have fun!

In today's tale, Mr. Bowser finally gets his due as 'The Mother-In-Law Arrives' 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-2009-01-25.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 1:50am EDT

Sat, Jan 24 2009

Mister Ron's Basement #1267

Eugene Field had the kind of popularity in the 19th century that newspaper humorists rarely experienced in later years. He wrote fun prose and poetry, sometimes thinly disguised political satire, and other times witty observations of life in the United States.

Today's poem is fun for youngsters and oldsters. From 1893, we present 'Extinct Monsters.'

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

Direct download: revry-2009-01-24.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 1:48am EDT

Thu, Jan 22 2009

Mister Ron's Basement #1266

Eugene Field had the kind of popularity in the 19th century that newspaper humorists rarely experienced in later years. He wrote fun prose and poetry, sometimes thinly disguised political satire, and other times witty observations of life in the United States.

Today we offer a wonderful poem from 1890 concerning Eugene Field's great love in life - 'In Praise of Pie.'

After you've heard this, you may want to go back and listen to Episode Number 753, featuring Field's 1880 poem 'Apple Pie and Cheese.' To get it, just Click Here.

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

Direct download: revry-2009-01-22.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 3:44am EDT

Wed, Jan 21 2009

Mister Ron's Basement #1265

Eugene Field had the kind of popularity in the 19th century that newspaper humorists rarely experienced in later years. He wrote fun prose and poetry, sometimes thinly disguised political satire, and other times witty observations of life in the United States.

Today, Field compares a couple of, well, interesting poems in 'Sir Galahad and Sir Sullivan' from 1887.

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

Direct download: revry-2009-01-21.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 4:42am EDT

Tue, Jan 20 2009

Mister Ron's Basement #1264

Eugene Field had the kind of popularity in the 19th century that newspaper humorists rarely experienced in later years. He wrote fun prose and poetry, sometimes thinly disguised political satire, and other times witty observations of life in the United States.

This week, we will begin exploring some of his sharp pieces, beginning with a poem from 1886 concerning 'An Overworked Word.'

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

Direct download: revry-2009-01-20a.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 4:40am EDT

Tue, Jan 20 2009

Mister Ron's Basement #1263

For Mark Twain Monday, we present Chapter Twenty-Eight of 'A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court' from 1889 -- where the Boss tries his best to teach Arthur how to act like a Peasant in 'Drilling the King.'

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 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/Connecticut.html

Direct download: revry-2009-01-20.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 2:38am EDT

Mon, Jan 19 2009

Mister Ron's Basement #1262

SUNDAY SALAD offers TWO fun Stanley Huntley stories today (sorry, no Spoopendykes available). First, in an hilarious fantasy from 1882, a badly beaten visitor to the Eagle office tries to rouse his fellows in 'On A Strike.' Next, we meet a rough and tumble miner from Dakota visiting Brooklyn in 'Another Ranger' 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

Direct download: revry-2009-01-19.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 1:36am EDT

Sat, Jan 17 2009

Mister Ron's Basement #1261

Our favorite Old Crank takes up the study of a science and lets everyone know about it in 'Mr. Bowser Takes Up Botany,' by C. B. Lewis, from 1902.

Time: approx ten 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-2009-01-17.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 3:34am EDT

Fri, Jan 16 2009

Mister Ron's Basement #1260

We are wrapping up our week-long celebration of funny writing by Edgar Allan Poe (his 200th Birthday is on January 19, 2009) with a lengthy, but fascinating, and at times quite funny story from 1845 called 'Some Words with A Mummy.'

This is most likely the very first popular story ever written concerning a Mummy brought back to life. Today there are Mummy movies and television programs everywhere. But in 1845, this tale hit the reading public with a bang!

Time: approx FORTY-ONE minutes

NOTE- Mister Ron and The Mrs. went to visit Edgar Allan Poe's Homes in Baltimore and Philadelphia on January 17, 2009. Some photos can be found at http://gallery.me.com/misterron#100237.

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

Direct download: revry-2009-01-16.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 3:25pm EDT

Thu, Jan 15 2009

Mister Ron's Basement #1259

As part of our celebration of Edgar Allan Poe's Bicentennial this month, we are reading some of his funniest works. Today we offer a short poem from 1845 that gives some good advice for today's troubled economy -- it's called 'Epigram for Wall Street.'

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

Direct download: revry-2009-01-15a.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 3:23pm EDT

Thu, Jan 15 2009

Mister Ron's Basement #1258

In celebration of Edgar Allan Poe's Bicentennial this month, we are delivering some of Poe's funniest stories. Today, we learn some of the tricks of the con man, who, back in the 1840s, was called a 'Diddler.' From 1843 comes 'Diddling Considered as One of the Exact Sciences.'

Read more about this fascinating story, and where (apparently) Poe got at least part of it from on the Mister Ron blog at http://misterronsbasement.blogspot.com/2009/01/edgar-allen-poe-oddity.html.

Time: approx twenty-four and a half minutes

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

Direct download: revry-2009-01-15.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 1:16am EDT

Tue, Jan 13 2009

Mister Ron's Basement #1257

This month we are celebrating Edgar Allan Poe's 200th Birthday on January 19th!

In honor of the Poe Bicentennial, we will be reading some of his funniest stories! 'Wait a minute!' you might be saying -- 'Poe? Funny stories?!!'

Yes indeed, throughout his career, Poe often wrote what he considered humor, although some readers might find it a bit warped and ghastly, to say the least. Still, Poe's funny tales have a distinct voice, and are well worth listening to.

Today we discover a bit about the science of Nosology in the 1835 story called 'Lionizing.'

Enjoy.

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

Direct download: revry-2009-01-13.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 2:41am EDT

Mon, Jan 12 2009

Mister Ron's Basement #1256

For Mark Twain Monday, we present Chapter Twenty-Seven of 'A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court' from 1889 -- where the Boss and the King pretend to be peasants on a stroll in 'The Yankee and the King Travel Incognito.'

Time: approx seventeen 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:

http://ronevry.com/Connecticut.html

Direct download: revry-2009-01-12.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 2:38am EDT

Sun, Jan 11 2009

Mister Ron's Basement #1255

SUNDAY SALAD kicks up the Basement's tribute to Edgar Allan Poe's Bicentennial Celebration this month! Stanley Huntley often spoofed well-known authors in his humor column, but one of his favorites was Poe. From a number of accounts, Stanley Huntley had committed many of Poe's stories and poems to memory, and would recite them at the drop of a hat.

Today we feature a brilliant satire of Poe's detective fiction that (almost) could have been written by Poe himself! From 1880, we present 'The Murder in the Rue Rivoli.'

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 Catalog of Stories is at:

http://ronevry.com/Spoopendyke_Stories.html

Direct download: revry-2009-01-11a.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 2:32pm EDT

Sun, Jan 11 2009

Mister Ron's Basement #1254

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, our favorite old crank displays his eye for beautiful antiques in 'Mr. Bowser Buys Chinaware.'

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-2009-01-11.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 1:29am EDT

Fri, Jan 09 2009

Mister Ron's Basement #1253

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.'

Let's take a steamboat journey with a man who absolutely can't stand insects in the story, 'There Were Bugs There.'

Time: approx six 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-2009-01-09.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 3:23pm EDT

Thu, Jan 08 2009

Mister Ron's Basement #1252

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 will visit a few historical sites, where a number of Revolutionary War heroes fell. It's called 'Depressions.'

Time: approx eight 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-2009-01-08a.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 4:21pm EDT

Thu, Jan 08 2009

Mister Ron's Basement #1251

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 pay a visit to an enterprising Nevada newspaperman named 'Primrose.'



Time: approx five 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-2009-01-08.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 2:19am EDT

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

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-2009-01-06a.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 1:06pm EDT

Tue, Jan 06 2009

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

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/Connecticut.html

Direct download: revry-2009-01-06.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 4:02am EDT

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 -- http://misterronsbasement.blogspot.com/2008/12/curious-case-of-benjamin-button-other.html.

Time: approx twenty 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-2009-01-04.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 4:54am EDT

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

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-2009-01-03.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 2:52am EDT