Good evening. Welcome to the Just Sleep podcast. I'm Tasia, your host.

Every week, I will read you an old story to help you relax of the stressful day behind you and drift off to sleep.

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Tonight, I will be reading a short story from Francis Hodgson Burnett,

the author of The Secret Garden,

Behind the White Brick. So lie down, close your eyes, and let me the white brick.

So lie down, close your eyes, and let me read you a story.

It began with Aunt Hetty's being out of temper, which, they must be confessed, was nothing new. At its best, Aunt Hetty's temper was none of the most charming, and this morning it was at its worst. She had awakened to the consciousness

of having a hard day's work before her, and she had awakened late, and so everything had gone wrong from the first.

There was a sharp ring in her voice when she came to Jem's bedroom door and called out,

Jemima, get up this minute.

Jem knew what to expect when Aunt Hettie began a day by calling her Jemima.

It was one of the poor child's grievances

that she had been given such an ugly name. In all the books she had read, and she had read a great

many, Jem never had met a heroine whose name was Jemima. But it had been her mother's favorite

sister's name, and so it had fallen to her lot.

Her mother always called her Gem or Mimi, which was much prettier, and even Aunt Hetty

only reserved Jemima for unpleasant state occasions.

It was a dreadful day to Gem. Her mother was not at home and would not be until night.

...