The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1889-04-04
are many which were made be-
fore the Christian era.

are many which were made be-
fore the Christian era.
With these seal rings forming
such an important and general
part ill daily life, what more
complete token of enduring love
and faith could a man effer a
woman than his seal, o. its coua-
terpart? Such a pledge, placed
on her hands, gave her al once
command of his secrets and of
his wealth indeed, often of his
very life.
In this relation, too, there was
a custom among the ancients
which descended to compare
lively modern times, and might
with excellent taste be intro
duced to-day i'll the use of en-
Iagement rings, in place of the
super-abundance Of easily brib
liants. This vas to make q new
seal, containing the portrait of
one or both of tho lovers. Some
Of these old portraits still re-
main to us. and are A telling sa-
tire on the advancement of the
age. Photography has produced
marvels, but what photograph,
however perfect, will preserve
the features of lovely woman
for one-tenth the time which
which has passed over these
seal portraits of old?
1t was this custom of consign-
ing a mans seal to his lady love
whioh gradually led to the adop-
ton, after several centuries, of
the ring as an Independent fe-
male adornment, although it
had been so used by the ancient
Egyptians ages before the Ro-
man Empire.
LOVE, POLITICS AND SUPERSTITION.
AS loves rules the world, SO
has the lingering, token of love,
played its important part in the
politics of the world, as we'll as
in its ecclesiastical historT. 1t
las been used by kings as war
rant to trusted messengers; by
courtiers to bear the portraits
of favorite statesmen; by con-
spirators and criminals to con-
ceal q deadly drug, and, more
recently, by pick-pockets to con-
ceal a tiny knife-blade. But
above and beyond these various
uses Cupid still claims it as a
survival Of the fittest.
Politics and love have often
been sadly mixed in the ring, as
in the case Of that which Queen
Elizabeth gave to the Earl OF
Essex, and which is now in the
British Museum. This ring has
been thus described:
"The ring is formed Of twin
or double hoops, which play
within one another, like the
links Of a chain. Each hoop
has one Of it's sides fiat, the other
convex, and each is twisted once
around and surmounted by a
hand issuing from an embossed
fancy work wrist or sleeve, ris.
ing somewhat above the circle
and extending in the same di.
rection. The course Of the twist
in each hoop is made to CORES.
pond with that of its counter.
part; so that on bringing togeth
er the fat surfaces Of the hoops
they Immediately unite in one
ring. On that hand of which
the palm is uppermost is repre-
sented a heart, and as the hoop:
close the hands slide into con
tact. The whole device thu:
presents a triple emblem of love
fidelity and union"
The selec ton Of the thiri
finger Of the left hand for tht
engagement aud wedding rings
too, is due to an ancient belize
that a small artery ran from tina
finger straight to a woman
heart This belief was univer
sal, although exploded by mod
ern anatomists.
In the early days of our conn
try the Puritans made stron!
effort to abolish the custom o
wearing rings, as a relic Of bar
barism, but love laughed at tn
early fathers of New England
i At the present time no per
sonal ornament is so individual
or so intimately associated will
the wearer as the ring, and i'm
pressions both Of taste and char
acter are frequently foui'de'
upon it. It therefore behoove
the young lady. of the perio
not only to select her rings il
general with exceeding care, bu
to insist that she shall be Cor
suited as to the fashion of he
engagement ring-provided, c
course, that she doesn't want
diamond as big as the Koh-
noor.-Cor. n. Y. Star.