Snoozecast

Tonight, we’ll read the opening to “The Clue of the Silken Ladder” part of the “Penny Parker” anthology written by Mildred Wirt, also known by Mildred Benson. This series of stories aren’t consecutive so don’t worry if you didn’t hear the first episode. You can pick up on this one just fine!

Penny Parker was a high school student turned sleuth who also sporadically worked as a reporter for her father's newspaper.

In this story, Penny discovers a strange silken ladder and learns how it is used in burglaries. Her story, and what it exposes, earns her a much-needed raise in pay at the newspaper.

— read by V —

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Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “The Boxcar Children” written by first grade school teacher Gertrude Chandler Warner and published in 1924.

The Boxcar Children tells the story of four orphaned children, Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny. They create a home for themselves in an abandoned boxcar in the forest.

In the last episode, we explore the children’s new boxcar home in the woods, and they are introduced to a new member of their family- a lost but friendly dog with a thorn in his paw.

— read by V —

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Tonight, we’ll read "A Retrieved Reformation", a short story by American author O. Henry first published in 1903. This episode first aired in June of 2021.

The story we will read shows how love can change anyone for the better. It describes the events which lead up to the reformation of an ex-convicted burglar. As usual, the ending of this O. Henry is worth hearing for the twist.

— read by N —

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Tonight, for our final episode in this series, we’ll read about more wildflowers on the farm, including cornflowers and charlock in the hay-field, from “Flowers of the Farm” written by Arthur O. Cooke and published in 1900.

In the last episode of this series, which aired last week, we read about dandelions and common grasses that grow wild around British farmlands. 

— read by V —

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Tonight, we shall read the next part to “Pride and Prejudice”, written by Jane Austen.

In the last episode, we learn the details of the deal. Wickham is basically ransoming Lydia, and Mr. Bennet feels obliged to pay a small sum every year in return for Wickham actually marrying her. Otherwise, they would apparently live together unmarried and thus tarnish the reputations of all her other unmarried sisters.

— read by V —

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Tonight, we’ll read a short story called “The Golden Touch” from “A Wonder Book and Tanglewood Tales” by Nathaniel Hawthorne, published in 1910. This episode is dedicated to our patron Kathryn, who was craving something from Greek mythology, and our listener, Sue, who suggested this particular book.

— read by N —

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Tonight, we’ll read about more wildflowers on the farm, including poppies in the hay-field, from “Flowers of the Farm” written by Arthur O. Cooke and published in 1900.

In the last episode, which aired last week, some plants found in the foldyard of the farm were discussed. A fold was a pen or enclosure for cattle or sheep, and the inference is that it must often have been a temporary structure, made by fastening hurdles, bars or ‘fleaks’ to fixed stakes.

— read by N —

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Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea,” a classic science fiction adventure novel by French writer Jules Verne.

In the last episode, Arronax, Conseil and Ned encounter the Papuan people from the island, and the people are unfriendly to the visitors. The three intruders retreat to the Nautilus. When Aronnax tells Nemo about the natives, the captain is unconcerned. He says “Savages? Where are there not any?” Soon, the native people storm the vessel and try to get inside. However, Nemo has cleverly set up an electrified cable on the stairs so that anyone who touches it is merely shocked. The Papuans retreat, the tide pushes the Nautilus out to sea exactly as Nemo has planned, and the vessel continues its journey.

— read by N —

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Tonight, we’ll read the opening to “The Adventures of Pinocchio” by Italian writer Carlo Collodi, published in 1883. This episode originally aired in May of 2021.

Pinocchio was carved by a woodcarver named Geppetto as a wooden puppet but he dreams of becoming a real boy. He is notably characterized for his frequent tendency to lie, which causes his nose to grow.

Pinocchio is a cultural icon. He is one of the most re-imagined characters in children's literature. His story has been adapted into many other media, notably the 1940 Disney film Pinocchio.

Collodi often used the Italian Tuscan dialect in his book. For example, the name of Pinocchio’s father, Gepetto, comes from the diminutive for Geppo, the Tuscan pronunciation of ceppo, meaning a log, stump or block.

— read by V —

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Tonight, we’ll read about handsome weeds and wildflowers from “Flowers of the Farm” written by Arthur O. Cooke and published in 1900.

In the last episode, which aired last week, the wallflower was discussed among other flowers. Wallflowers are perhaps more commonly known today as people who gravitate to the sidelines of social gatherings. However, the wallflower is the common name for a genus of flowering plants called Erysium, part of the cabbage family of plants. It includes more than 150 species, both popular garden plants and many wild forms.

— read by V —

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