The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1877-06-07

slack seasons affect it; then, of course.
prudent men do not rush headlonq in.e
matrimony. The prices of rings range
from few shillings to several pounds.
There are terribly vulgar brides who will
have most massive and costly rings. fear
full to behold; and occasionally opulent
male snobs take fancy to have q plain
gold ring Of appalling proportions, as an
instance, doubtless, of porvenu success
and wealth. The fashionable ring IL a
neat thing Of three to four penny weights.
Apart from the trade orders there are
many curious private customers who come
to the mandatory for the one single
gold circlet that is to mark one of this
life's great contracts. Often the working.
gibson TO be q bride-buys her own
ring herself, and no matter how poor or
ragged she may be, the ring shall be of
undoubted quality. A slight return of
drink, or "luck money" on the purchase
is held to be productive of good, aud
many superstiti0ns prevail among the
poorer customers. One bride-eIect came
back tearfully with hef purchase to have
it exchanged. The fling was accursed,
having been tried on by some thoughtless
girl ere the bride had worn 1t: The omen
was held to be indicative Of the worst
luck. Many, indeed, are the strange fan.
cies connected with this magic circle.
Often gill who has scraped up her little
savings to buy an elaborate ring; will
change IL out Of sheer jealousy for heav.
ier one, if some companion bride-elect
has made more massive purchase.
Shall We enter the magic laboratory
wherein pledges matrimonial are confec-
toned! Truly an alchemist's study. A
small, dingy workshop, fitted with few
benches for some half-dozen workpeo
pie, and the ordinary rotary polishing
wheels, blow-pipes, rejecting glass bot.
ties, and so on. Here ON the floor is
the melting furnace; through small aper
ture the gold bar or bag Of sly sovereigns
is dropped into the melting-pot The
gold, having been duly melted, is taken
10 the mill to be rolled. It is then an
nealed. By this time the precious metal
is as black rs sheet iron, and the raw ma.
terial of wedding rings, as it lies in the
workshop, resembles nothing so much a.
sections of nail.rod iron, or pieces Of
flattened telegraph wires. GIld, indeed,
not if We know. This nail.rod gold has
now to be drawn througha machine some
thing after the wire.drawing principle.
An end of black gold rod is made fast
in the machine, which is then started,
and away goes the bar through the ma
chine, and comes out twisting tightly on
the drum Of the machine like a rope
round windlass. 1t is drawn round DR.
fiat as may be required, and appears;
own natural color, the impurities Of the
annealing having been rubbed of: The
links that are to lead toilet us hope
1Sulol oA~nn n: hnn,
thus "long drawn out" themselves, are
cut into short strips Of the length of we'd
ding rings of al sizes, and sent to re-
ceive the official stamp, by which inter:
MAJ. t Gaoai 1. design un1elisyers know
so, above suspicion. The embryo rings
now present q rough appearances. and are
of dull, yellow tint. The remaining proc
esses are very simple. The little sections
are hammered roughly round, and the
ends joined, then beaten into the com:
plete circle, and SO, rough, coarse and
dull, are handed over to the gifted being
who Is to produce the last magical change;
and transform the dull, brassy- looking
circlet into the trim, neat, shining SYM
boil of wedlock, all ready for the nervous
digit of the tremuious bride. The ring Is
AACu IA tuO 1CSOAVluS WACCls away SOCS
the said wheel at good speed, the pol
ishing Instruments hard stone-are
deity applied, and, hey, presto! soon the
wheel stops, and out comes the ring as
bright and clean as q new pin. In this
almost Primitively simple workshop these
half dozen workpeople turn out weekly 4
go0dly number of rings. Of q truth, the
making them is As simple as may be. The
artisans are checked at various stages by
the weight of gold given out to them. A
certain quantity Ct gold is weighed out,
and should produce SO many strips
through the drawing machine. At differ
emit stages of manufacture the materials
are weighed, and the final result should
be SO many manufactured rings. A
special tub is provided for the workpeo-
pie to wash their hands in on leaving
work, and this tub yields atiriferous har-
vests.
The show.rooms of the wedding.ring
maker are simple in the extreme. One
small Office suf1ices, and couple Of dolls
chests of drawers contain the samples of
his quaint trade. To my fancy 1t is the
most charming business, so clean, 80 easy
and-mOst potent of all facts-sO strictly
on the leash principle" When we re-
member the enormous credits common to
the jewelry trade in general, this "trade
rule" is remarkable, especially as the
whole process of making and finishing
the wedding ring is 50 very simple. But
it is, believe, religiously adhered to-
Birmingham Daily Nai.