She 's fast asleep , so I wo n't wake her to ask leave . She shows me all her things , and I do n't think she 'll mind if I look at this '' , thought Beth , with a glance at her sister , who lay on the rug , with the tongs beside her , ready to wake up the minute the log fell apart . MY BETH Sitting patient in the shadow Till the blessed light shall come , A serene and saintly presence Sanctifies our troubled home . Earthly joys and hopes and sorrows Break like ripples on the strand Of the deep and solemn river Where her willing feet now stand . O my sister , passing from me , Out of human care and strife , Leave me , as a gift , those virtues Which have beautified your life . Dear , bequeath me that great patience Which has power to sustain A cheerful , uncomplaining spirit In its prison-house of pain . Give me , for I need it sorely , Of that courage , wise and sweet , Which has made the path of duty Green beneath your willing feet . Give me that unselfish nature , That with charity devine Can pardon wrong for love 's dear sake -- Meek heart , forgive me mine ! Thus our parting daily loseth Something of its 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 to life new aspirations , A new trust in the unseen . Henceforth , safe across the river , I shall see forever more A beloved , household spirit Waiting for me on the shore . Hope and faith , born of my sorrow , Guardian angels shall become , And the sister gone before me By their hands shall lead me home . Blurred and blotted , faulty and feeble as the lines were , they brought a look of inexpressible comfort to Beth 's face , for her one regret had been that she had done so little , and this seemed to assure her that her life had not been useless , 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 . Jo started up , revived the blaze , and crept to the bedside , hoping Beth slept . `` Not asleep , but so happy , dear . See , I found this and read it . I knew you would n't care . Have I been all that to you , Jo ? '' she asked , with wistful , humble earnestness . ''
Oh , XXXXX , so much , so much ! ''
Beth Green Guardian Henceforth Jo glance loseth patience prison-house regret