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Show FOOTBALL FOR A HUSBAND. Matrons and 8plnsters Engage In Battle on the Gridiron. Until early In tho nineteenth century cen-tury It was a very ancient custom practiced at Inverness for the spinsters spin-sters to meet tho matrons in an annual an-nual gamo of football. All tho avail-ablo avail-ablo women took part and tho men surrounded tho players and urged on their sisters, wlvos and swoet-hearts swoet-hearts In their struggle directing their efforts by word of mouth nnd encouraging encour-aging tho exhausted to struggle on and Becuro tho much coveted prlzo, Tho honors of these unusual combats, com-bats, strango to say, rested moro often with tho married than tho single, sin-gle, for tho men selected their wives from tlioso who showed, most prowess nnd endurance on tho football field. Henco nil tho better players wcro mntoil and frequently moro than a match for tho less tough and skilful maidens, though tho latter fought like tho knights of old for tho lady of their cholco and to tho death. A strange reversal of positions, which doubtloss had Its compensating advantages advan-tages when domestic differences nroso between a tyrannical husband and his former footballing consort. |