Luyện nghe bài hát The Face On The Barroom Floor

Recorded by Snow
Author - Antoine D'Arcy

'Twas a balmy summer evening and a crowd was there
Which filled Joe's barroom on the corner of the square
And as songs and witty stories came through the door
A crept slowly in and posed upon the floor.
"Where did it come from?" Someone said. "The wind has it in?"
"What does it want?" cried, "Some whiskey, rum or gin?"
"Here, Toby, seek him, if your stomach's to the work!"
"I touch him with a fork, why, he's as filthy as a Turk."
This badinage the wretch took with stoical good grace
In fact, he smiled as though he thought he'd struck the proper
"Come, boys, I know kindly hearts among so good a crowd
Why, to be in such company would make a deacon proud."
"Give me a drink - that's what I want - I'm out of funds, you
When I had cash to treat the gang, hand was never slow
What? You laugh as tho' you thought this pocket held a sou
Why, I was fixed as well, my boys, as of you."
"There, thanks - that's braced me - God bless you one and all
Next time I pass this good saloon, I'll another call
you a song? No, I can't do that - my singing days are past
My voice is cracked and my worn out and my lungs are going fast.
"Say, Give me another and I'll tell you what I'll do
I'll tell you a funny and a fact I promise, too
That I was ever a man, not a one of you would think
But, I was some four of five back - say, give us another drink.
"Fill her up, Joe, I to put some life into my frame
Such little drinks, to a bum me, are miserably tame
Five fingers - there, the scheme - and corkin' whisky, too
Well, here's luck, boys; and landlord, my best to you.
"You've me pretty kindly and I'd like to tell you how
I came to be the sot you see before you now
As I you once, I was a man with a muscle, frame and health
And, but for a blunder, to have made considerable wealth.
"I was a - not one that daubed on bricks and wood
But an artist and for my age, was pretty good
I worked hard at my canvas and I was bidding to rise
'Coz I saw the star of fame before my eyes.
"I made a picture perhaps seen, 'tis called the 'CHASE OF FAME'
It brought me fifteen hundred pounds and to my name
And then I met a - now comes the funny part
With eyes that my brain and sunk into my heart.
"Why don't you it's funny that the vagabond you see
Could ever love a woman and expect her for me
But 'twas so, and for a month or two, her smiles freely given
And her loving lips touched mine it carried me to heaven.
"Boys, did you ever see a girl for whom your soul you'd
With a like the Milo Venus, too beautiful to live
With eyes like the purest of diamonds and a wealth of hair?
If so, she, for there never was another half so fair.
"I was working on a one afternoon in May
Of a boy, a friend of mine, who lived across the way
And Madeline it and much to my surprise
Said she'd like to know the man that had such eyes.
"It didn't take long to him and before the month had flown
My friend had stole my and I was left alone
And ere a of misery had passed above my head
The jewel I had treasured so, had tarnished and was dead.
"That's why I to drink, boys - why, I never saw you smile
I thought you'd be amused and laughing all the
Why, what's the matter - friend? There's a teardrop in eye
Come, laugh like me; why 'tis only and women that would cry.
"Say, boys, if you'd give me another whiskey, I'll really be glad
And I'll draw right here a picture of the face drove me mad
Give me that piece of chalk which you mark the baseball score
And you shall see the lovely Madeline upon the floor."
Another drink and with chalk in hand the began
To sketch a face that well buy the soul of any man
And then as he placed another lock upon the head
With a fearful shriek, he leaped and fell across the - dead.