Picture From Life's Other Side

In the world's mighty gallery of pictures
Hang scenes that are painted from life
There's pictures of love and of passion
And there's pictures of piece and of strife

There hung pictures of youth and of beauty
And of old age and a blushing young bride
But the saddest of all they don't hung on the wall

The first scene is that of a gambler
Who had lost all his money at play
And he draws his dead mother's ring from his finger
That she wore long ago on her wedding day

It's his last earthly treasure but he stakes it
Then he bows his head that in shame he might hide
But when they lifted his head they found he was dead
That's just a picture from life's other side

Now the last scene is that by the river
Of a heartbroken mother and babe
As the harbor lights shine and they shiver
On an outcast whom no one will save

Now yet she was once a true woman
She was somebody's darling and pride
But God help her she leaps and there's no one to weep
That's a picture from life's other side

Just a picture from life's other side
Someone has fell by the way
A life has gone out with the tide
That might have been happy some day

There's a poor old mother at home
Watching and waiting alone
Just longing to hear from a loved one so dear
Just a picture from life's other side