Luyện nghe bài hát The Face On The Barroom Floor

Recorded by Snow
Author - Hugh Antoine

'Twas a balmy summer evening and a goodly was there
Which well-nigh Joe's barroom on the corner of the square
And as songs and witty came through the open door
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 touch him with a fork, why, he's as filthy as a Turk."
This badinage the poor wretch with stoical good grace
In fact, he smiled as though he he'd struck the proper place
"Come, boys, I there's kindly hearts among so good a crowd
Why, to be in good company would make a deacon proud."
"Give me a - that's what I want - I'm out of funds, you know
When I had to treat the gang, this hand was never slow
What? You laugh as tho' you thought pocket never held a sou
Why, I was as well, my boys, as anyone of you."
"There, - that's braced me nicely - God bless you one and all
Next time I pass this good saloon, I'll make call
Give you a song? No, I can't do that - my singing are past
My voice is cracked and my 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 man, not a one of you would think
But, I was some four of five years - say, give us another drink.
"Fill her up, Joe, I want to put some life my frame
Such drinks, to a bum like me, are miserably tame
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 to tell you how
I came to be the dirty sot you see you now
As I told you once, I was a man with a muscle, frame and
And, but for a blunder, to have made considerable wealth.
"I was a painter - not one that daubed on 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 gradually I saw the star of before my eyes.
"I made a picture perhaps you've seen, 'tis called the 'CHASE OF
It brought me fifteen pounds and added to my name
And I met a woman - 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 a woman and expect her love for me
But so, and for a month or two, her smiles were freely given
And when her lips touched mine it carried me to heaven.
"Boys, did you ever see a for whom your soul you'd give
With a form like the Milo Venus, too to live
With eyes like the purest of diamonds and a wealth of chestnut
If so, 'twas she, for never was another half so fair.
"I was working on a one afternoon in May
Of a fair-haired boy, a friend of mine, who across the way
And admired it and much to my surprise
Said she'd like to know the man that had dreamy eyes.
"It didn't take long to him and before the month had flown
My had stole my darlin' and I was left alone
And ere a year of misery had passed above my
The that I had treasured 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 all the while
Why, what's the matter - friend? a teardrop in your eye
Come, laugh like me; why 'tis babes and women that would cry.
"Say, boys, if you'd give me just another whiskey, I'll be glad
And I'll draw right here a picture of the face drove me mad
Give me piece of chalk with 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 that well might buy the soul of any man
And then as he placed another lock the shapely head
With a fearful shriek, he and fell across the picture - dead.