Sisters of the Golden Circle by O. Henry — A Calming Bedtime Story for Sleep & Insomnia | Books at Bedtime
Drift off with this gentle bedtime story for sleep and insomnia relief, read aloud as part of Calming Anxiety's Books at Bedtime strand. Tonight's tale is Sisters of the Golden Circle, O. Henry's warm, witty New York story about two newlywed brides who understand each other completely in a single glance. It was first published in his 1906 collection The Four Million and is long in the public domain: William Sydney Porter (1862–1910) died more than a century ago.
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In this soothing bedtime audiobook, James Williams of Cloverdale, Missouri, and his bride of two weeks take the top seats on a Rubberneck sightseeing tour of the big city. Just in front of them sit a girl in a tan jacket and a sharp-eyed young man. Then a plain-clothes detective stops the car looking for a burglar called Pinky McGuire, and one bride does something quietly remarkable for another. It ends with O. Henry's signature twist, as tender as it is funny.
This is a gentle, old-fashioned story about kindness, happiness shared and the unspoken understanding between strangers, perfect for winding down, easing anxiety and drifting off to sleep.
Hosted by clinical hypnotherapist and former paramedic Martin Hewlett, as part of Calming Anxiety's Coffee Break for the Soul and Books at Bedtime story readings.
⏱️ Time Chapters
* 00:00 – Welcome to Books at Bedtime: Sisters of the Golden Circle by O. Henry
* 00:10 – The Rubberneck Auto sets off
* 01:13 – Two hearts that know each other at a glance
* 02:10 – James Williams of Cloverdale and his bride
* 03:10 – The sights of the big city
* 04:48 – Hattie, once the belle of Cloverdale
* 06:46 – "Dear kind fairy": the wedding trip remembered
* 07:29 – The girl in the tan jacket and the young man beside her
* 08:52 – A glance between two brides
* 10:03 – A plain-clothes man stops the car
* 11:44 – "Come down, Pinky"
* 13:33 – "Go with him quietly, Pinky"
* 14:13 – James Williams goes cheerfully mad
* 15:15 – The bride explains
* 16:55 – Sisters of the plain gold band
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