A Picture from Life's Other Side

In the world's mighty gallery of pictures
Hang the scenes that are painted from life
There's pictures of youth and beauty
There's pictures of trouble and strife
I hang pictures of youth and passion
Of old age and the blushing young bride
They all hang on the wall but the saddest of all
Are the pictures from life's other side

Just a picture from life's 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 longing to hear from a loved one so dear
There's a picture from life's other side

Now the first scene is that of a gambler
Who had lost all his money at play
He draws his dead mother's ring from his finger
She wore long ago on her precious wedding day
Yes, it's his last earthly treasure but he stakes it
And with his shame as he bowed his old head
But when they lifted his head, they found the old man was dead
Now that's just a picture from life's other side

The last scene is that by the river
Of a heartbroken mother and her babe
As the harbor lights shine and they shiver
Just an outcast whom no one will save
And yet she was once a true woman
She was somebody's darling and pride
My God help her she leaps ain't nobody to weep
Now that's a picture from life's other side

It's just a picture from life's 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
Who's watching and waiting alone
She's just longing to hear from a loved one so dear
There's a picture from life's other side