O m'sieu, doan you hask me ma story, doan hask me how dis was happenn;
Dat's one beeg black hole on ma life, w'ere I doan want to look on
some more....
Well, he's coom joos' so well for to tole you, all tak' beet tabac
firs' and den
A'll tole you what cep' to de pries' a have nevare tole no one before.
Bien, M'sieu; he's come pass joos like dis way; a go out wit' de boys
to make lark;
Dare was Armand and Joseph and Louiee, an' we drink on de deefront
saloon.
An' we feenish in plac' wit' de music, like one of dose garden or park,
W'ere he's play dose curse wheel for de monee--in Hingleesh dat's wheel
of fortune.
He was Saturday night on de week, M'sieu, an' a have ma week's pay on
my bourse,
Wit'out w'at we pay for de whiskey--'bout one dollar feefty or less;
An' a'm t'ink a can win me lots monee, and eef a doan win some, of
coorse,
A can stop 'fore a lose much, a tell me, but a've pooty beeg hope
for success.
Well, Louiee, he's be careful, risk notting, he's laugh w'en a'm buy
some paddell,
Armand he's buy some for obligement, he's not half so careful's Louiee.
An' we play dare teel half pas' eleven, an' de meantime she's go
pooty well,
Teel Armand he's lose all she's monee, an' shortly 's de same ting
wit' me.
But Louiee he's got plaintee of monee, an' he's got plaintee fr'en'
on de plac',
An' a'm hask heem for lend me ten dollar, a'm pay wit' good interes',
be sure;
He'll tol me he's got more as feefty an' he's give me plusieurs jours
de grace,
For Louiee he was know a was hones' for all a was poor of de poor.
Well, I not was require all dat monee teel de wheel she was tak' few
more whirl,
For a keep on to lose pooty steady, and Armand he say, "Doan play
some more,"
But Louiee he say, "Win yet posseeble," and Joseph he was off wit'
his girl,
An' de croupier say, "Bettre luck nex' time, dare is good luck an'
bad luck in store."
And de wheel she was turn on de peevot and shine in de light electrique,
She seem like beeg star to be turning, an' sing tune like she doan
care notting;
But she turn like de pool on de river dat's tak' everyt'ing down
pooty queek,
An' she shine like de snake w'en he's body is roll' up--de snake
wit' de sting.
An' a'm play teel a lose all dat monee, an' de wicked roulette she
go roun',
An' a'm play also feefty more dollar, an' ma head she commence for
to reel;
An' oh, M'sieu, de hard time dat was follow teel a lay ma good wife
in de groun',
An' hoffen a hask me forgiveness, as dare by dat grave a go kneel.