reader can imagine anything so queer as a pair of boots possessing such
an immensely human gift) of converts from Rugby to Association style of
play, or rather perverts, as they were designated, but enough has been
said to show how Association football gained a hold on the young and
rising generation, and how it spread all over the western and
north-western portion of the country, and, like the proverbial Eastern
magician's wand, caused goal-posts and corner-flags to spring up in
every village and hamlet with remarkable rapidity. Close to the shores
of several Highland lochs, where a big kick by a stalwart half-back
endangers the ball being swept away by the tide, one can see the game
played of an evening by the village youth with great earnestness of
purpose. By and by the new rules made remarkable progress, and as the
public liked the game, and deserted the Rugby matches to see what they
considered the most easily understood rules, the breach between the
rival contingents widened, and eventually the Jews had no dealings with
the Gentiles, and so they both continue playing the games they consider
the best.

What changes have taken place in clubs and players during the last few
years! Faces, blithe, happy faces, now gone forever, can be remembered
by the old spectators, although the present scarcely ever heard their
names; but I will not go very far back. Poor Dixy (for he is dead
now)--well can I remember his first introduction to the Conquerors. My
master had been indulging, in company with Bob Gardens, Jim Wild, Willie
Keith, and others, in a punt about on the evening preceding a match with
the Red Cross, and, after shaking hands and passing the usual
compliments, the practice game was started, and in it the newcomer
showed well, and kicked cleverly with both feet. He was, however, just a
shade too slow, and I frequently tackled him, and secured the leather,
giving it a deal of "toe" after passing close in on goal. The club were
badly off for a goal-keeper after Willie Keith left for America, and, as
John was not backward in making a display of his ability, he offered to
act as goal-keeper. It would take too long to recount the games in which
he and I were engaged in the subsequent career of the Conquerors, but an
incident or two will not be considered out of place. If Dixy had one
weakness more than another it consisted in a lively sense of his own
importance as a crack goalkeeper, and the supposed invincible qualiti