A Picture from Life's Other Side

(Frank B. Smith)



In the worlds mighty gallery of pictures

Hang the scenes that are painted from life

There's pictures of love and of passion

And there's pictures of peace and of strife.



There hang pictures of youth and of beauty

Of old age, and the blushing young bride

They all hang on the wall

But the saddest of all

Are the pictures from lifes other side.



Just a picture from lifes other side

Someone has fell by the way

A life has gone out with the tide

That might have been happy some day.



There's a poor old mother at home

She's watching and waiting alone

Just longin' to hear

From a loved one so dear

It's just a picture from lifes other side.



The first scene is that of a gambler

Who had lost all his money at play

And he draws his dead mothers ring from his finger

That she wore long ago on her wedding day.



It's his last earthly treasure, but he stakes it

And he bows his head that his shame that he might hide

But when they lifted his head

They found he was dead

That's just a picture from lifes other side.



Now the last scene, is that by the river

Of a heart broken mother and babe

as the harbor lights shine and they shimmer

On an outcast whom no-one will save.



And yet she was once a true woman

She was some bodys darlin' and pride

God help her she leaps

For there's no-one to weep

It's just a picture from lifes other side...