Luyện nghe bài hát The Face On The Barroom Floor

Recorded by Snow
- Hugh Antoine D'Arcy

'Twas a balmy evening and a goodly crowd was there
Which well-nigh filled barroom on the corner of the square
And as songs and witty stories came through the open
A vagabond crept slowly in and posed the floor.
"Where did it come from?" said. "The wind 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 touch him with a fork, why, he's as filthy as a Turk."
This badinage the poor wretch took with stoical good
In fact, he smiled as though he he'd struck the proper place
"Come, boys, I know there's 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, 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, - that's braced me nicely - God bless you one and all
Next time I pass this saloon, I'll make another call
Give you a No, I can't do that - my singing days are past
My voice is and my throat's worn out and my lungs are going fast.
"Say, Give me another whiskey and I'll tell you what do
tell you a funny story and a fact I promise, too
That I was ever a decent man, not a one of you would
But, I was some four of years back - say, give us another drink.
"Fill her up, Joe, I want to put some life my frame
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 best 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 have made wealth.
"I was a painter - not one that daubed on and wood
But an artist and for my age, was rated good
I worked hard at my canvas and I was bidding fair to
'Coz gradually I saw the star of fame my eyes.
"I a picture perhaps you've 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 petrified my brain and sunk my heart.
"Why don't you laugh? it's funny that the you see
Could ever love a and expect her love for me
But 'twas so, and for a or two, her smiles were freely given
And her loving lips touched mine it carried me to heaven.
"Boys, did you ever see a girl for whom your soul give
With a like 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 portrait one in May
Of a fair-haired boy, a of mine, who lived across the way
And Madeline admired it and much to my
Said she'd like to know the man had such dreamy eyes.
"It didn't take long to know him and before the month had
My friend had my darlin' and I was left alone
And ere a year of misery had passed my head
The jewel that I had treasured so, had and was dead.
"That's why I took to drink, boys - why, I never saw you
I thought you'd be and laughing all the while
Why, what's the matter - friend? There's a teardrop in eye
Come, like me; why 'tis only babes and women 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 of chalk with which you mark the baseball score
And you see the lovely Madeline upon the barroom floor."
Another drink and with chalk in hand the vagabond
To sketch a face well might buy the soul of any man
And then as he another lock upon the shapely head
With a fearful shriek, he leaped and fell across the - dead.