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
Which well-nigh filled Joe's barroom on the corner of the
And as songs and witty stories came through the open
A vagabond slowly 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 your equal to the work!"
"I wouldn't touch him a fork, why, he's as filthy as a Turk."
This badinage the poor 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 good company 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 was never slow
What? You laugh as tho' you thought this never 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 saloon, I'll make another call
Give you a song? No, I can't do that - my singing days are
My voice is cracked and my throat's worn out and my are going fast.
"Say, Give me whiskey 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 decent man, not a one of you would
But, I was four of five years back - say, give us another drink.
"Fill her up, Joe, I to put some life into my frame
Such little drinks, to a bum like me, are miserably
Five fingers - there, that's the scheme - and whisky, too
Well, here's luck, and landlord, my best regards to you.
"You've treated me pretty kindly and I'd to tell you how
I came to be the dirty sot you see 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 daubed on bricks and wood
But an and for my age, was rated pretty good
I worked at my canvas and I was bidding fair to rise
gradually I saw the star of fame before my eyes.
"I made a picture perhaps you've seen, 'tis called the OF FAME'
It me fifteen hundred pounds and added to my name
And then I met a - now comes the funny part
With eyes that petrified my and sunk into my heart.
"Why don't you laugh? funny that the vagabond you see
Could ever love a woman and expect her for me
But so, and for a month or two, her smiles were freely given
And when her loving lips touched it carried me to heaven.
"Boys, did you ever see a girl for whom soul you'd give
With a form like the Milo Venus, too beautiful to
With eyes like the purest of and a wealth of chestnut hair?
If so, she, for there never was another half so fair.
"I was on a portrait one afternoon in May
Of a fair-haired boy, a friend of mine, who across the way
And Madeline admired it and to my surprise
Said she'd like to know the man had such dreamy eyes.
"It didn't take to know him and before the month had flown
My friend had my darlin' and I was left alone
And ere a year of 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 never saw you
I thought you'd be amused and all the while
Why, what's the matter - There's a teardrop in your eye
Come, laugh like me; why 'tis only babes and women that cry.
"Say, boys, if give me just another whiskey, I'll really be glad
And draw right here a picture of the face that drove me mad
Give me that of chalk with which you mark the baseball score
And you shall see the lovely Madeline the barroom floor."
Another drink and with in hand the vagabond began
To a face that well might buy the soul of any man
And as he placed another lock upon the shapely head
With a fearful shriek, he and fell across the picture - dead.