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.