Mark Twain did an amazing job of keeping a record of the language used at the time, that time being somewhere in the 1860's, and 1870's. This week's story is a conversation between an Eastern Minister and a Virginia City Rough, and what fun it is trying to set up a funeral for the late Buck Fanshaw.
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Today is "The Tarantula Show." This is the Halloween Special that is available for listening all October and beyond. If you like hairy, creepy Tarantulas, this is the show for you. Starting with a Wikipedia explanation of Tarantulas we go to "Roughing It" by Mark Twain for his Tarantula tale. It's funny as well as scary.
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One of the most charming chapters of "Roughing It" by Mark Twain is the "Funeral of Buck Fanshaw." Here is the conversation between two people, both speaking English, but not quite understanding what the other said. This is a delightful record of the slang speech used in Virginia City during the Silver Strike. Ruth reads the story as Twain wrote it with pronouncings of words as was used then. Enjoy.
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Ruth reads from Mark Twain's "Roughing It" about the Silver Mines, a song/poem about the Black Hills Gold Hardtimes, and L. Frank Baum's short story "The Polar Bear." The show's theme is sometimes we hit gold and sometimes we just get a lot of hard work, but there's always a a job well done and a chance of gold.
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Today Ruth reads from Mark Twain's book, "Roughing It." In Chapter 7, Twain tells the story of a Bull running after a man and treeing him. This is one of the best tall tails so listen in and join the good time.
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Today Ruth reads Frank L. Baum's short story, "The Glass Dog." There's a Wizard (of course), a Glass Blower, a rich lady, and others so there are plenty of people. This story is fun for many reasons, but most of all because of the last line: "...I should like to consult the wizard about the moral of this story." Baum is so good at telling a story more like real life where the point being made is confusing.
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81st Show. Mark Twain's "Roughing It," Chapters 8 & 9.
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The 80th Show. Ruth reads "The Nortorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County." This story has had several titles as was the style back then. This is the story that made Mark Twain famous all over the world.
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The 79th Show. "Roughing It" is back with chapters 5 & 6 all about The Coyote. Mark Twain is at his best.
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The 78th Show. "Bee Pastures" by John Muir, and "Roughing It" by Mark Twain, second half of Chapter 4.
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