"The Friend in Adversity"

I hadn't stalked the Library of Congress for teatime images in a while, and this week, I found one that was a new discovery, "The Friend in Adversity," painted by E. Prentis (1797-1854) and with Henry S. Sadd listed as "engraver" and W. L. (Waterman Lilly) Ormsby (1809-1883) as printer. The Library of Congress Summary says this: "Print shows a man, possibly ill or otherwise in despair, seated in a chair before a fireplace in his bedroom, a woman sitting next to him, comforts him with kind words; a teapot steams in the fireplace and dark clouds pass beyond the window in the background."

The faint type may be hard to read, but it says this: "Call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorify me." Psalm L, v. 15

Now, unless mine eyes deceive me, I'm guessing this woman is his wife, because that appears to be a canopy bed at right, and surely a single gentleman wouldn't be having a lady "friend" in his bedroom back then. (Well, actually, I'm sure some of them did, but I'm also pretty sure they didn't have the escapade painted and engraved!)
And I have questions. The teakettle is before the fire, but do you suppose that's a bowl of hot porridge and a Bible on the small table/chest near the lady? Maybe she's pointing to heaven and telling him to seek the Lord's help in his illness. At right, that looks like a writing desk on the table. It's got what appears to be a scarf or hankie on it. And what are those two things on the floor beneath that table? At first, I thought maybe they were leaves off a plant, but I don't see a plant. What is the object directly behind the writing desk? It has a handle, but it doesn't appear to be an umbrella. I welcome any observations you may wish to make!