The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1880-01-26
BETROTHAL AND WEDDING RINGS.
Some Interesting Facts About Them From
an English Writer.

l lHlF- mHTCuhHtB DsIEOtnHlH Ana BTiuhIa. u
The Prince OF Wales gave tho Princess
Alexandra n ksep-rlng In which the Initial
| letters OF the six stones beryl, emerald.
| ruby, turquoise, Ilcinth, emerald formed
| her favorite name for him, "Bertie." Tho
Language and properties of precious stones
are IA varied ~ are those OF flowers; and,
| like the latter gems. have tue proper seasons
IN which their good qualities predominant.
! High priests Ia this kind Of knowledge Inform
| VIZ that whoever Ia touched with any stone
set In silver ring shall be Immediately
| reCOnolled. pale sapphire, set In gold aud
| engraved with u figure and with tho half OF q
| Dish, procures any desire. Capricorn or cor
nelian, set In u silver ring, and carried about.
| insures tho wearer against harm In purse
| aud person, no Judge can pass unjust SEN
tence against him ho shall abound I'm bust
ness and honor, gain the friendship OF many,
and DO all-powerful In battle
fhvorite supposltiOn Is TINT eysry mouth
In the year ia under the influence oil some one
of tho precious stones The garnet, signify
Ing consistency and truth. ID sacred to January,
the amethyst (sincerlty) to February, the
bl0od-etone courage and presence Of mind IT,
March, the diamond Qnnocence) to April tho
emerald (auCcess In iovel to May, the ng tte
(haath and long lifel IA June, the comedian II
contented mind to July, the sardoayx fGon-
jugal teliCityl to August. the chryBolte (tuti-
dnts To Insanity To September, the opal (hopet
to October, tho topnz (tltleIity) TO November,
hnd tho turquoise prosperity to December.
betrothal ring: IL IL suppoasd to prevent dis
seneions between husband and wife, and also
10 give warming OF danger In addll LON to tho
virtues already enumerated the diamond iS
snid to be- MI antldots 20 Satanic temptation.
Tho ruby makes it's posseBSor brave. The
topaz Is u preventative against poison. Tho
amethyBt Ii n preventative against drunken
ness. Tho turquoise acts rs a charm against
the OWL eye and from looks forebodtng mis-
fortunes. Tho emerald promotes piety. The
g. rI ~ nohI Tn
though 1t promotes conjugAl feicity-ts, In
fact, . sort Of bane and antidOte affair The
opal, unless It's influences Is eounterHcted by
having other stones set with 1t, brings Ill
luck.
One very pretty form of betrothnl ring
which has fallen into disuse was The 9emmnl
or criminal that Is, double or treble ring
This was made OF two OF three hoops so chased
and engraved that when fastened together by
single rtvet the whole formed one design.
The usual device was u hand When an on
gageulent was contracted the ring was taken
apart, ono division was worn by the fianeee.
one by tho intnnded husband, and the
third by mutual friend and witness
OF the betrothal. On marriage. tho three
minor rings were reunited Into one, and
worn by the bride as n keeper" or as
n wedding ring. Tertulllan, who died A. ID.
ZIG. tells us thtt n golden ring WIS In his
Seldcn saya that betrothal rings were frat
given as substitutes for dowry money. In
earlier days, when the art OF writing was not
90 Familiarity known as 1t Ia MT the press mt
time, the ring had greater Significance as II
symbol OF power. IL formed Il seal by which |
NIL orders were signed and all things OF value
secured. Therefore the delivery of It was |
II sign that the person to whom 1t was en- |
trusted WAS admitted to the highest friend |
ship and trust. For this reason 1t became |
used III marriage ceremonies. and In some of |
tho earlier marriages We find that not only |
the ring, but also the keys, were delivered to |
tho bride. Wedding rings We're not always |
made OF gold. Iron was Mt one time generally |
used; and tho Roman Senator'S In the print |
tive days or tho republic, wore rings OF that I
metal. Prometheus, whose ring was OF Iron, I
is said to have set this fashion. Among the
very poor In England, rings made of PUSHES /
we're used In the marriage ceremony.
Though the ring or gold has long been
looked upon as q necessity to the marriage
ceremony, 1t is by no means Indispensable,
and civil marriages may be contracted with
out It, The Puritans abolished the ring, or
rather tried to do 80; they looked upon It's use
rs SuperStitiOus and Of heather origin.
Quakers generally object to the ring
On account Of Its heather origin; but
The ladies OF that persuasion have shown q
determined preference for its continuance,
On account Of the invidious position In
which married lady might be- placed for
the WANT of 1t. Wedding rings are placed
On the left hand on account of the obedience
hat Is typiiied thereby. The converse is
the reason why the engaged band
9 placed on the third right hand finger of a
lancee, who still possesses large amount OF
reedom, and frequently exercises her power
Il all arbitrary manner.