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IMPROVED ENOCH ARDEN, by                    
First Line: Philip ray and enoch arden
Last Line: "by next mail to alfred tenny / son m. P., isle of wight"
Subject(s): Australia;new Zealand


PHILIP RAY and Enoch Arden
Both were "spoons" on Annie Lee.
Phil did not fulfil her notion --
She preferred to wed with E.

Him she married and she bore him
Pretty little children three;
But becoming short of "rhino,"
Enoch started off for sea,

Leaving Mrs. Arden mistress
Of a well-stocked village shop,
Selling butter, soap, and treacle,
Beeswax, whipcord, lollipop.

Ten long years she waited for him,
But he neither came nor wrote;
Therefore she concluded Enoch
Could no longer be afloat.

So when Philip came to ask her
If she would be Mrs. Ray,
She, believing herself widowed,
Could not say her suitor nay.

So a second time she married,
Gave up selling bread and cheese --
And in due time Philip nursed
A little Ray upon his knees.

But, alas! the long-lost Enoch
Turn'd up unexpectedly,
And was vastly disconcerted
At this act of bigamy.

But on thinking o'er the matter,
He determined to atone
For his lengthen'd absence from her
By just leaving well alone.

So he took to bed and dwindled
Down to something like a shade;
Settled with his good landlady,
Then the debt of nature paid.

And when both the Rays discovered
How poor Enoch's life had ended,
They came down in handsome manner,
And gave his corpse a fun'ral splendid.

This is all I know about it.
If it's not sufficient, write
By next mail to Alfred Tenny
son, M. P., Isle of Wight.





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