A stern woman wears boxing gloves. "Ruff" means passion or excitment as a well as a collar. The border features matches, a heart-shaped beet, and cherubs playing tennis and tug o' war. The label on the matchbox reads "Red-headed matches go off easy," and the beet is marked "D.B." [i.e. "dead beat" or "dead beet"]. The valentine suggests that the recipient channel her passion for fighting into romantic passion., Text: Your glove, my enchantress, / I'd rather excuse, / The paw of a panth'ress / 'Twere safer to choose. / There's a fashion in collars, / As well as in Cuffs, / Round your neck, then, why don't you / Put "one of the Ruff's"?, Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
