Luyện nghe bài hát The Face On The Barroom Floor

Recorded by Snow
Author - Hugh Antoine

'Twas a summer evening and a goodly crowd was there
well-nigh 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 from?" Someone said. "The wind has blown it in?"
"What does it want?" cried, "Some whiskey, rum or gin?"
"Here, Toby, seek him, if your equal to the work!"
"I wouldn't touch him with a fork, why, he's as as a Turk."
This badinage the wretch took with stoical good grace
In fact, he smiled as though he he'd struck the proper place
"Come, boys, I know there's kindly hearts so good a crowd
Why, to be in such company would make a deacon proud."
"Give me a - that's what I want - I'm out of funds, you know
When I had cash to treat the gang, this hand was never
What? You laugh as tho' you this pocket never held a sou
Why, I was fixed as well, my boys, as of you."
"There, thanks - that's me nicely - God bless you one and all
Next time I pass this good saloon, I'll make call
Give you a 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 whiskey and tell you what I'll do
I'll you a funny story and a fact I promise, too
That I was a decent man, not a one of you would think
But, I was some four of five years back - say, give us drink.
"Fill her up, Joe, I want to put some into my frame
little drinks, to a bum like me, are miserably tame
Five fingers - there, that's the scheme - and whisky, too
Well, here's luck, boys; and landlord, my regards to you.
"You've treated me pretty kindly and I'd to tell you how
I came to be the sot you see before you now
As I told you once, I was a man with a muscle, and health
And, but for a blunder, ought to have considerable wealth.
"I was a painter - not one daubed on bricks and wood
But an artist and for my age, was rated pretty
I worked hard at my canvas and I was bidding fair to
gradually I saw the star of fame before my eyes.
"I made a picture perhaps you've seen, 'tis called the OF FAME'
It brought me hundred pounds and added to my name
And then I met a - now comes the funny part
With that petrified my brain and sunk into my heart.
"Why don't you laugh? it's funny that the you see
Could ever love a woman and her love for me
But so, and for a month or two, her smiles were freely given
And when her loving lips touched mine it me to heaven.
"Boys, did you ever see a girl for whom your soul give
With a form the Milo Venus, too beautiful to live
With eyes like the purest of diamonds and a wealth of chestnut
If so, 'twas she, for there was another half so fair.
"I was working on a one afternoon in May
Of a fair-haired boy, a friend of mine, who lived the way
And Madeline admired it and much to my
Said like to know the man that had such dreamy eyes.
"It didn't take to know 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 took to drink, boys - why, I saw you smile
I thought you'd be and laughing all the while
Why, what's the matter - friend? There's a in your eye
Come, laugh like me; why 'tis only babes and that would cry.
"Say, boys, if you'd give me just another whiskey, I'll really be
And I'll draw right here a picture of the face that me mad
Give me that piece of chalk with which you mark the baseball
And you shall see the lovely Madeline upon the floor."
Another and with chalk in hand the vagabond began
To sketch a face that well might buy the of any man
And then as he placed another lock the shapely head
a fearful shriek, he leaped and fell across the picture - dead.