To A. E. M.
"Reuben Wright and Phoebe Brown" (1856)  
A Pathetic Ballad.
Composed by H. M. T.

Boston: Oliver Ditson, Washington St.
Plate Number: 8417
[Source: 051/077@:evy]

1. In Manchester a maiden dwell, 
Her name was Phoebe Brown, 
Her cheeks were red, her hair was black, 
And she was considered by all the best judges of 
  female loveliness to be beyond all odds and by 
  very far, the best looking girl in town.

2.  Her age was neary seventeen,
Her eyes were sparkling bright;
A very lovely girl was she--
And for about a year and and a half there had been 
  a young man paying attention to her who was known 
  by the soubriquet of Reuben Wright.

3.  Now Reuben was a nice young man,
As any in the town;
And Phoebe loved him very dear--
But, on account of his being obliged to work for a 
  living, he never could succeed in making himself 
  acceptable to old Mr. and Mrs. Brown.

4.  Her parents were resolved
Another she would wed;
A rich old miser in the place--
And old Brown was frequently known to declare that, 
  rather than have his daughter marry Reuben Wright, 
  he'd sooner knock her in the head.

5.  But Phoebe's heart was brave and strong,
She feared not parent's frowns;
And as for Reuben Wright so bold--
Why, I myself have heard him say more than fifty 
  thousand times that, with the exeption of Phoebe, 
  he didn't care a ----- for the whold race of Browns.

6.  So Phoebe Brown and Reuben Wright
Determined they would marry;
Three weeks ago last Thursday night--
They started off for old Parson Webster's determined to 
  get united in the holy bonds of matrimony, although it 
  was awful dark and rained like the OLD HARRY.

7. But Captain Brown was wide awake;
He loaded up his gun,
And then pursued the loving pair--
He overtook 'em when they had got about half way to the 
  Parson's, then as all prudent young persons would do 
  under similar circumstances, Reuben and Phoebe started 
  upon the run.

8.  Old Brown then took a deadly aim,
Tow'ds young Reuben's bead;
But oh, it was a bleeding shame--
He made a mistake and shot his only daughter, and had the 
  unspeakable anquish of seeing her drop dead right down 
  stone dead.

9.  Then anquish filled young Reuben's heart,
And vengeance crazed his brain;
He drew an awful jack knife out--
And plunged it into old Brown about fifty or sixty times, so
  that it made it very doubtful in the opinion of all the best
  physixians, two surgeons and an apothecary, whether he ever
  came to again.

10. The briny drops from Rueben’s eyes 
In torrents poured down, 
He yielded up the ghost and died, 
And this melancholy and heart-rending matter terminates the 
  history of poor Reuben and Phoebe, and likewise of old 
  Captain Brown.