Foster's Melodies No. 43
"The Wife"; or, "He'll Come Home" (1860)
Song
Written and Composed
(Poetry and Music) by
Stephen Collins Foster, 1826-1864

1.
He'll come home, he'll not forget me, for
his word is always true.
He's gone to sup
The deadly cup,
And while the long night through,
He's gone to quaff,
And talk and laugh
To while the drear night through:--
  He'll come home, he'll not forget mem
  For his word is always true.

2.
He'll come home with tears
and pleading words and ask me to forget.
Can I be his
While he is mine
And cause him one regret?
My heart may break,
But for his sake
I'll do all I can do.
  He'll come home, he'll not forget mem
  For his word is always true.


3.
He'll come home with sorrow on his heart
That none but he can know
With pangs of thought,
Now dearly bought!
And fears of coming woe;
He'll feel the cost of days now lost
That time can ne'er renew.
  He'll come home, he'll not forget mem
  For his word is always true.