The Reformed and His Wife

                                   WIFE.
Now praise be to the giver 
     Of every good below,
That he should so deliver
     Thy spirit from its wo:
My supplications earnest
     He's answered from above,
In this that thou returnest 
     To joy, to me, and love.

                                   HUSBAND:
Dear wife, I am unworthy 
     Of all this love of thine, 
Nor could I dare deter thee 
     If now thou spurnest mine:
Four obscured lines to be added after consulting source

                                   WIFE
No more of self-complaining—
     If wrongs have had their day
These tears of gladness raining,
     Have washed them all away;
And, Willie, thou art dearer
     Than ever yet before,And, wite, thou see desce
Since God hath drawn thee nearer 
Unto himself, once more.

                                   HUSBAND
But oh, there's no repaying
     Thy years of wo, my Wife;
When bitter pangs were preying
     Upon thy soul and Life.
Sick lonely and neglected
     Still didst thou watch my way,
And for thy love rejected
     Would sweeter love repay
Would sweeter love repay.

                                   WIFE.
O Williel well I knew thee,
     That thou wert good and kind,—
That kindness proffered to thee 
     An answer yet would find,—
Thank God! the seeds then scattered 
     Of gentleness and peace,
Though long with hot tears watered,
     Bring forth their glad increase.

                                   HUSBAND.
Ay, bless the Lord forever,
     Who kept thy heart so well,
That thou, of all, shouldst never
     Forsake me when I fell;
Forthis, thy sweet love, casting
     Its sunshine o'er my life, 
With mercies ever-lasting
     God bless thee, O my Wife!

                                   BOTH.
Now heart to heart re-plighted, 
     The path of life we'll tread,
And living, live united,
     Or dying, still be wed;
Though age, with man y a wrinkle
     Our fading cheeks may plow,
Love’s star, till death, shall twinkle
     Cliff-hanger here – last line caught in fold of page.