Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1889-05-24
ABOUT FlNGER-RlNGS.

supposed to be endowed with medicinal
properties and virtues. and were con-.
scquently worn in rings as charms.
The jasper cured fevers and: dropsies.
stopped hemorrhagcs. and baff1ed the
effects of witchcraft and promoted
parturition. Emerald jasper was pre-
eminent in these qualities, and. more
over, insured chastity and confluence
to the wearer. The turquoise or Turk
lsh stone was supposed to have many
and various good qualities that make
it second only to the jasper in popular
estimation. Shylock'sH ring that he
would not have lost "for wilderness
of monkeys" was turquoise. This
stone was believed TO strengthen the
sight and spirit of the wearer, to take
away all enmity and reconcile man and
wife, and to move or change color
when any peril was about to fall upon
the wcarcr. The most wonderful vir-
tue of all was tat it protected its
Tearer from injury from falls, so that
however serious the danger the stone
only broke and the wcarer escaped un-
hurt. The agate rendered athletes in
vlncib.e, cured the sick, and enabled
its wearer to gain the love of all
women. Amber was good against
poison; amethyst was an anti
dote against drunkenness. Bloodstone
checked bleeding; carbuncle emitted
native light; coral hindered the delu-
sions of the devil; crystal clouded if
n yI To hnf "a ftHr
diamond was an antidote against all
poisons; opal sharpened the eyes OF its
pessessor and clouded the eyes OF those
who stood about him; ruby changed
color if any calamity were about to
happen; sapphire checked bleeding ut
the nose; topaz cured and prevented
lunacy, increased riches, assuaged an
ger and sorrow, and prevented sudden
death.
o her things besides precious stones
were supposed to possess curative vtr-
the; thus u ring mace from the hoof OF
an elk Was held to protect the wea'rr
from epilepsy. Then there were ''cralnp
rings" which were hal!owed with
much ceremony, the wearers OF which
were saved from the falling sickness.
while ctEer rings were used for scieuti-
tic purposes namely. meridian, solar
and astronomical rings.
1t is supposed that the fashion Of
having notices on rings was of Roman
origin ut any rate the young Romans
gave rings to their lady loves with
mottoos cut on gems, such as "Remem-
ber', and Love Me-" In the year 1924
little book was published containing
collection of ''P0sies for Rings" 1"
Some of these fave become pretty we'll
hackneyed, such as When this you
zee remember me-" which is ut least
three hundred years old. In some cases
instead Of words the stones were mado
to tell the posy by means Of acrostics,
n fashion that has not yet gone out Of
date.
The fyancol, or wedding ring, is also
supp0scl to have orig.nItod at Rome,
where it was usually givon vt the be-
trothal. The practice OF tho wife wear
ing the betrothal ring after marriage
and the husband wearing the wedding
ring has boon u comino1 ono in Ger
many. Wedding rings used to be hall
| lowed and put on tho thumb. index and
middle lingor. after the names of Trim
ity. leaving it on the fourth finger at
tho word anon. In many parts of tho
| continent wedding rings arc worn by
husbands us we'll as wives. The iuter-
change OF rings was u prominent foa-
ture OF the ancient betrothing ccre-
mony, one Of the most peculiar Of these
betrothal rings being the gimnal, jim
nal. gimbal. or gimou ring, " twin, or
double ring, taking its name from the
word gemelli. 1t was formed Of two
or three pieces OF gold wire, which
seperate and turn on pivot. In be-
trothal the ring was opened, the lovers
placed a finger through each hoop, and
thet, being closed it was worn as q ring.