From Sheet Music (c1855)

Reuben Wright & Phoebe Brown. A Tale of a Dismal Swamp.
Composed and sung by Sam Cowell

In Manchester a maiden dwelt,
Her name was Phoebe Brown;
Her cheeks were red, her hair was black,
[SPOKEN: And she was considered by good judges to be by all odds the]
best looking girl in town.]

Ri Chooral, li chooral, ri chum choo-ral lay;
Ri Chooral, li chooral, ri chum choo-ral lay.

Her age was nearly twenty one,
Her eyes were sparkling bright;
A very lovely girl she was,
[SPOKEN: And for about a year and a half there had been a young man paying his attention to her, by the]
Name of Reuben Wright.

Ri Chooral, li chooral, ri chum choo-ral lay;
Ri Chooral, li chooral, ri chum choo-ral lay.

Now Reuben was a nice young man
As any in the town,
And Phoebe lov'd him dearly,
[SPOKEN: But, on account of his being obliged to work for a living, he never could make himself agreeable to]
Old Mr. and Mrs. Brown.

Ri Chooral, etc

Her parents were resolved
Another she should wed,
A rich old miser in the place,
[SPOKEN: And old Brown frequently declared, that rather than have his daughter marry Reuben Wright, he'd sooner]
Knock him in the head.

Ri Chooral, etc

But Phoebe's heart was brave and strong,
She feared not her parent's frowns;
And as for Reuben Wright so bold,
[SPOKEN: I've heard him say more than fifty times that, (with the exception of Phœbe) he didn't care a cent for the]
Whole race of Browns.

Ri Chooral, etc

So Phoebe Brown and Reuben Wright
Determined they would marry;
Three weeks ago last Tuesday night,
[SPOKEN: They started for old Parson Webster's, determined to be united in the holy bonds of matrimony, though it was tremendous dark, and]
Rained like Old Harry.

Ri Chooral, etc

But Captain Brown was wide awake,
He loaded up his gun,
And then pursued the loving pair;
[SPOKEN: He overtook 'em when they'd got about half way to the Parson's, and then Reuben and Phoebe started]
Off upon the run.

Ri Chooral, etc

Old Brown then took a deadly aim
Toward young Reuben's head,
But, oh! it was a bleeding shame,
[SPOKEN: He made a mistake, and shot his only daughter, and had the unspeakable anguish of seeing her]
Drop right down stone dead.

Ri Chooral, etc

Then anguish filled young Reuben's heart,
And vengeance crazed his brain,
He drew an awful jack-knife out,
[SPOKN: And plunged it into old Brown about fifty or sixty times, so that it's very doubtful about his ever]
Coming to life again.

Ri Chooral, etc

The briny drops in frenzy tore
The hair from off his head
And when half-scalp'd the pain was such
[SPOKEN: That he awoke, and discovered himself lying flat on his back with his bootjack on his chest, and his nightcap brimful of the briny torrents, - having been out to a tea party, and having so regaled himself on muffins and crumpets hot, that the nightmare he had got on]

Getting into bed.

Ri Chooral, etc

MORAL
Young men - when out to tea and sup
And spend a pleasant night
If you must feast, then let it be
[SPOKEN: With your eyes, on the charms of the ladies, and your ears, in listening to their delightful conversation, and thus avoid the distressing calamity that]
Befell poor Reuben Wright