Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-12-18

ring This was made Of two or three
hoops 80 chased and engraved that,
when fastened together by n single riYet,
the whole form one design. The usual
device was hand. When an engage
mcnt was contracted the ring was taken
apart; one division was worn by the
iiance, one by the intended husband.
and the third by mutual friend and
witness Of the bctrOthal On marriage.
the three minor rings were reunited
INTO one, and worn by the bride NJ n
keeper or as wedding ring. Ter
tulian, who died A. u ZIG. tcllg us thai.
"A golden ring was, In his time. sent TO
the Intended bride ~ pledge. Sheldon
says that bctrOthal rings were first
given ~ substitutes for dOwry money.
In earlier days, when the art Of writing
was not 50 iamiliarly known IA II Is Mt
the present time, the ring had greater
significance ~ "A symbol Of power. Il
formed seal by which all orders were
signed and all things Of value secured.
Therefore, the delivery Of IL was "A sim
that the person To whom il was intruEtod
was admitted 70 the highest friendship
and trust For this reason il became
used ~ marriage ceremonies; and, in
some oi the earlier marriages. we find
that not only the ring, but also the
Keys, were delivered 10 the bride We'd
ding rings were not alWays made of
gpld. Iron was IT one time generally
used and the Roman senators, in the
primitive days Of the republic, wore
rings Of that metal PrOmcthcus. whose
ring was Of iron, is said 10 have set this
fashion. Among the very poor in Eng
land, rings made Of rushcs were used in
the marriage ceremony.
Though the ring Of gold has long been
looked upon as necessity in the mar
ragc ceremony, II Is by no means indis-
pcnsablc, and civil marriages may be
contracted without It. The Puritans
abolished the ring, or rather tried u do
20; they looked upon its use as supcrsti-
tious and Of heather origin. Quakers
generally object 10 the ring OF account
oi it's hcathon origin; but the ladies Of
that persuasion have shown "A deter
mined preference for IL continuance, on
account Of the inyidious position i'm
which married lady might be placed
for the want oft.
Wedding rings are placed on the eft
hand an account Of the obedience that is
typiiicd thereby. The conycrsed il prob
ably the reason why the engaged band
is placed on the third right hand finger
81 tnHrcs. who still possess large
amount Of freedom, and frcQuontly eX-
crcisrs her power in an arbitrary man
uer. 1t is a pity that the symbolism Of
rings is dying out. When ! was boy,
II was the fashion for men on the look-
out for wives 10 wear "A ring on the first
finger Of the left hand. If they were
engaged 10 be married they wore the
ring on the second finger, If married, on
the third; and on the fourth If they re-
solved upon bachclorhood. Thus the
most sensitive and modest young lady
might always with ease detect the ma
trimonial disposition Of man by
glance. But this fashion being gone a
girl has 10 make love 10 man before
the can ascertain his views. This is
hard upon the girl, and often very hard
upon the man. This fashion, in my
opinion, should BE- revived, though the
symbolism Of IL might be enlarged or
modified, to save trouble. For girls
| should propose this tclcgraphic code:
\ ring on the first finger 70 denote
poverty and willingness 10 get married;
on the second finger. money and a dispo-
siiion 10 listen, though nothing is prom
lscd; on the third finger, Already en-
gagged, and so you needn't trouble your
self on the little finger. delibcrating.
some sucn a code would simplify a
mans views, and be Of great use in help
ing to save him from making an ass Of
himself -