Luyện nghe bài hát The Face On The Barroom Floor

Recorded by Snow
Author - Antoine D'Arcy

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