Books at Bedtime By Calming Anxiety - Seventoes' Ghost - By Mary E. Wilkins Freeman

Seventoes' Ghost by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman — A Gentle Bedtime Story for Sleep & Insomnia | Books at Bedtime

Drift off to sleep with Seventoes' Ghost by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman, a gentle, old-fashioned New England tale of a boy, a puppy, a grandfather's beloved cat and a guilty conscience, read aloud by Martin Hewlett on Books at Bedtime, the sleep story series from Calming Anxiety.

Young Benjamin Wellman has wanted a dog ever since he was born. So on a hot summer's day he walks three miles to the village and back to fetch a clumsy yellow puppy he has already named Caesar. But Grandsir, his stern old grandfather, has always preferred cats to dogs, and he won't hear a word of it. Nothing must upset Seventoes, his splendid great yellow cat with seven toes on every paw. The puppy has to go.

Heartbroken, Benjamin trudges down the dusty road past stone walls hidden in wild roses and fields dotted with haymakers, to give Caesar away to his friend Sammy Tucker. On the long walk home through the orchard, brooding over his wrongs, he comes upon Seventoes stretched out in the sun on the ledge of the old well. In one moment of temper Benjamin does something he instantly regrets, and moments later he sees something on the shed roof that turns him white with terror. (Cat lovers, don't worry. This story ends sweetly.)

This classic bedtime story for adults is perfect for winding down, easing insomnia and letting a busy mind settle into deep, restful sleep. Freeman's warm summer farmyard, a tender ending at sunset and Martin's calm, unhurried narration make it an ideal sleep audiobook for anyone who finds it hard to switch off at night.

Mary E. Wilkins Freeman is best known for A New England Nun and Other Stories. If you enjoy classic short stories, you'll find many more on Books at Bedtime, including L.M. Montgomery's Charlotte's Ladies, The Little Black Doll and The Gossip of Valley View.

Seventoes' Ghost first appeared in Harper's Young People and was collected in Young Lucretia and Other Stories (Harper & Brothers, 1892). Mary E. Wilkins Freeman (1852–1930) and this story are in the public domain.

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Sleep well, my friend. And in everything, be kind.

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Ready for More Calm?Thank you for listening to the Calming Anxiety Podcast, featuring guided meditation, mindfulness, and sleep hypnosis sessions with Martin Hewlett. Our mission is to provide you with proven tools for anxiety relief, stress reduction, and a path toward deep relaxation. Use this episode anytime you need to calm your mind and feel more at ease.