ITS OH! for a rivet in marriage bonds,
And a splice in the knot untied
The sanctity of the marriage tie
Is growing more sanctified!
Theyre getting mixed up in society,
Theres an awful family row,
For Reginald Jones of The Fernery
Is keeping his first wife now!
Oh! she belonged to the smart, smart set
(Where reasons are far to seek)
And the wedding and crush are remembered yet
As the smart things of the week.
Never an atom of love had she,
But they had a child somehow
And Reginald Jones of The Fernery
Has the love of his first wife now.
Mad for notice and talk was she
A butterfly blind as a bat
She would flaunt for a season a divorcee,
Or divorce him, failing that.
He played his part and she held his heart
As light as her marriage vow
But Reginald Jones of The Fernery
Has a hold on his first wife now.
She swore in Court what the world knew false,
With never a thought of shame
She was free to flaunt to her hearts content,
But she found it mighty tame:
The talk of the town for a week or two
The gush, the smirk and the bow
But Reginald Jones of The Fernery
Is the God of his first wife now!
Her soul grew sick of the smart, smart set,
Or her conscience drove her wild
Or she craved for notice and talk once more
Or perhaps because of the child;
But they met at last and they met again
No matter the where or how
And Reginald Jones of The Fernery
Is in love with his first wife now.
Tis a terrible life for the second young wife,
But she married him too for place;
And she mustnt forget that a smarting set
Belongs to the human race.
They say its fixed up in camera,
And, if that is the case, Ill vow,
That Reginald Jones of The Fernery
Will marry his first wife now.
And there is a song of the English world
And a song for the English race:
The second husband and second wife
Must ever take second place.
So cherish the best that you find in the first,
And a margin of width allow:
The future looks after itself too well!
Look after the first ones now.
