Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1869-05-05

at this, thought Beth with % glance at her
sister, who lay on the rug, with the tongs be-.
side her, ready to wake up the minute the
log fell apart
"uy urru.
Sitting patient in the shadow
Till the blessed light shall come,
A serene and sanity presence
Sanctiiies our troubled home.
Emthly joys. and hopes, and sorrows,
Break like rpples on the strand
OF the deep and solemn river
Where her willing feet now stand
Ola, my sister, passing from me,
Out of human cart and STRIFE
Leave me, as gift, thDsc virtues
Which have hcautiiied your life
Dear, hcqueath me that great pitiencc
Which has power 10 sustain
\ cheerful. uuc0mplainiug spirit
ln IT, prsJn-housc of pain
Give me, for need it sorely.
OF That courage. wise and sweet,
Which has made the path Of duty
Green beneath your willing feet
Give me that unselish nature.
That with charity divine
Can pardon wrong for loves dear sake
Meek heart, forgive mc mine
rhus our parting laily losc,h
Something OF It's bitter pain,
And while learning this hard lesson
My great loss becomes my gain.
For the touch of grief will render
My wild nature more serene,
Give 10 life new aspirations
\ new trust ia the unseen.
llenceiorth safe across the river,
shall see forever more
4 beloved, household spirit
Waiting for ne ON the shore
Hope and faith, born of my surrow,
Guardian angels shall Become
And the sister gone before me,
BY their hands shall lead mc home.
Blurred and botted, faulty and feeble as
the lines were, they brought look of mex
pressible comfort to Beths face, for her one
regret had been that she had done 50 little :
and this seemed to assure her that her life
had not been useess-that her death would
not bring the despair she feared. As she
sat with the paper folded between her hands,
the charred log fell asunder 10 started up,
revived the blaze, and crept to the bedside,
hoping Beth slept.
Not asleep but so happy, dear See, |
found this and read it knew you wouldn't
care. Have | been all that to you, Jo ?" she
asked with wistful, humble earnestuess.
Oh, Beth, so much so much :" and JOS
head went down upon the pillow, beside her
sisters
uTbep don't feel MS If ia wasted NV
life. I'm not so good as YOU make me, but /
have tried to do right and now. when III.
too late to berin even 10 do better. it's sucb a
comfort TO know that some one loves me 50
much. and feels as if I'd belped them
" More than anv one in the world Beth
used to think / couldn't let YOU 90; but
/ I'm learning 10 feel that | don't lose Won
that vou,n he more 10 mo than ever and deotb
can't part us. tbougb il seems to -
! 81 know il cannot. and don't fear il any
lorper. for I'm sure | shall he vour Beth still
to love and help YOU more than ever You
must take my place. Jo. and be everything to
father and mother when I'm gone They
will turn to you--don't fail them and if IT'S
hard to work alone. remember that | don't
forget YOU, and that You'll be happier ia do
ing that. than writing splendid books. or see.
ing all the world for love is the only thing
that we can carry with us when we 90. and
it makes the end so easy"
"In try. Beth and then and there Jo
renouneed her old ambition, pledged herself
to new and better one. acknowledging the
poverty Of other desires, and feeling the bless.
ed soacc of belief in the Immortality of
love.
So the spring DAYS came and went. the sky
grew clearer, the earth greener the flowers
were up fair and early. and the birds came
back in time to say good-bye to Beth, who,
like tired but trustful child, clung to the
hands that had led her all her tife, as father
and mother guided her tenderly through the
valley of the shadow, and gave her up to
God.
Seldom, except in books, do the dying utter
,,,o,,orobIo ,,orl- eoo ,.;s;ons or d,,,or. ,r; ;.