Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1859-03-23

and Nessen9er, of this week, we compile the
following questions and answers:
Query:-How should ring be worn on the
finger to denote persons situation in life,
whether married, widowed, or single2 Also,
tell me whether wearing plain or fancy gold
ring on any of the fingers makes any differ
ence?
Ansser:-Custom has sanctioned the opinion
that wearing plain gold ring on the fourth I'm.
ger of the left hand shall indicate n married
person. All other symbOIical arrangements of
the ring are arbitrary, and have no foundation
except in private caprice or the popular imagin-
alton. We have read Of the Language OF the
ring" as we read of the Language of flowers"
each finger, when embraced by ring, being
supposed to grow elOquently communicative
upon the subject of its situation, aud the pur-
pose meditated in locating it; but, until such
matters possess an authority bestowed only by
common consent, we can only recognize them
as pretty'romances or ingenious conceits. Cen
tlemen usually wear rings upon the right hand,
for the same reason that they indulge in the
affectation of very long nails. e., to denote
that their condition demands of them no manual
labor
In answer to some inquiries about that IA
nous prototype of our neighbOring West Alex
auder, out east of US, viz: "Gretna Geen," Scot
land, the editor says:
In England the marriage ceremony is tram
mclled with certain prelininarics which are
rather irksome to precipitnte innHInOrdte. It
was customary, therefore, for anxious couples
to hurry lover the border" to consumate
union; and n Scotch tobacconist mot black
smith, as common report has it, taking adyan-
tage of the fact established himself on the Green
between Graitney and Springfield, close to the
dividing line between the two countries, TO sell
snuff and cigars, as well as secure the nuptial
knot The customary fee was fifteen guineas
(about seventy five dollars) for each wedding-a
price that made the business very profitable
one.
Query:-What is meant by morganatc
marriagey
Ansner:-A ".norganatic marriage" is per-
fectly legal one in Germany, where they occa-
sionally occur 1t usually bestows the hand of
prince upon woman of inferior birth, and
gifts her with legitimate possession of his per-
son without emitting her or her children to his
title, his rank, or any share of his property
The left hand is used, instead of the right, in
the ceremony, and therefore it is called left
handed marriage" not to sligmatize it, for it is
an honorable one, but to describe it. The
Gothic word m0urajdn Ito shorten or limit is
supposed, by some, to furnish the origin of the
term, but others trace it to the German word
mOrgeryabe, (morning gift) because it is custo-
mary for The bridegroom, the day after the cere-
mony, to make the bride handsome present
Query:-A. bets b. that his watch.chain is
llOI SOlu BOlu. d. OetS lIluI II u.s. 1u6 JGhGllGT
says it is solid gold, but that the gold is not
pure, being only twelve carets fine. Who wins
the bet?
Ansoer:-B. wins. "Solid" is in no sense
synonymous with 'pure." Manufactured gold
is never pure. The precious metal is unfit for
common use unless considerably allowed Even
coin is, therefore, made of an alloy, and not of
pure gold, which would indiiferently endure the
wear of constant circulation. The term "sol-
| i'd" in speaking of wntch.chains, signifies not
hollow, or not "tilled in" with lead; it being a
common practice in manufacturing such orna-
ments TO enlarge their proportions by con-
structing them externally of gold and render
ing them substantial by ''flling in with baser
metal.
Query:-SuDpose Il gentleman meets n lady
in the street, which should bow first, according
to the rules of etiquette
Anstoer:-It is the lady's place to first recog.
nize gentleman, by n smile, and slight in
clinatiOn of the head, in the street. Unless
quite intimate with n lady, no gentleman is
privileged to bow to her in public without his
receiving this act of tacit permission in ad-
vance.
Query What is meant by Polarised light |?
AnsDer:-"Polarised" light isl light which has
been subjected to compound refraction, and
which, after polarization, exhibits new series of
phenomena, differing materially from those that
pertain to the primary condition Of light The
SKY is called blue" because the white light Of
',e sun winch IhlIs upon INC ehTth wlthout
change, being reflected back by the earth, has
certain portions of it, as it passes through the
atmosphere, returned to us, and this double re-
Election produces polarised condition of light
which impart to vision the sensation of delicate
blue.
Query tx. bets s.: IN go to England to.
morrow The question pending is whether or
not K, TO win, must be in England Tomorrow
X. says if he starts for England it is sufficient"
AHsHer:-K. is correct. an go" simply
means 81 will put myselfen route, or on the way,
to such and such place.
The idea of the "IIarp of thousand strings"
is borrowed from Isaac Watts hymn,
SstranEe that the harp of a thousand strings
Should keep In tune long"
In our Geographic columns of yesterday
there WINS n disnatch stating that /, convention