Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1889-07-16
PARIS. MAINE. TUESDAY. JULY IS. 1889.
ABOUT flselR RINos.
Something Ab.ai the Custom. cf the Past
aud Present ,n Their lee.

Something Assat the Ca.'om. ef the Past
and rre.sni In Their v.s.
The famous Dr. John Thomas. bishop
of Lincoln In 1888. married three times.
On the occasion Of his fourth esPousal.
he put this motto on his po-y ring;
ifIsarvive
IN make tlism hve
History does not tell Va whether the
fourth Mrs. Thomas approved the scnti'
mcni, nor whether the much marrying
bishop lived 20 carry Il out
The motto rings of today are patterns
Of the posy rings of several centuries ago.
The inscriptions arr. u course. more
modern. hat tile sentiment remains tho
same OF late society las gune lack 10
the real old English Io~y. and the hands
Of our American bellies are being adorned
with rings that carry the same notices
that graccd them In King Halls time.
Therc used 10 IT, custom In Rome
which made the bridegroom ssnd the
brids before marriage a ring 81 iron to
show how lasting the union ought 10 bc.
and the frigaliiy they wero 10 ols~ We
together. but by and by luxury crcpt In.
and the iron ring was exchanged Tor one
of gold. which change doubtless delight
c,l thc Roman ladics
Numerous suprrstitions are connected
with the ring. Tho English and French
ladies % the times ~ the Crusades slept
with their pillows while their lords and
lo,crs we're away 6gh,ing the inhdeL
The custom vas SUPPOSED 90 produce
pleasant dreams 81 tho absent ones, anc
the rings were believed 10 b. talismans
~ safety. Tho Scotch las Who looks
through her lctrothal ring throc timCs
on the night boforc her marriage l. suro
b. scc visions of the happ,ncss IN store
for her. and the Greek girl who finds a
ring will marry b,forc the year l. cut.
Tho women ~ the unciyiliEcd countries
adorn their finger. with clumsy rings q
bonc and metal Not satisfied with this.
they wear ring. Ia their ears and through
the nose Gypsy women are fond of
rings. somc - which they claim po~scss
magical powcrs
Of cuursc thorc Il nothing In the ~
called invisible nngs We arv told that
the famous circlct ~ Gygc. rendered
the wcarcr invisible when the stone vas
turned inward. and that the ring which
Omit king ~ lomtardy. rccciycd frum
the q'icon's mother. always dirvcicd the
owner the right rad a. take in travelling
Therc l. legend that a knights daugh.
ter once found one u these invisible
rings on the day b~foro her wedding
Charmed with the heauiy % IL, she put
u on and VOTE it a. the altar After the
ceremony sho happcncl 10 turn the
stone inward. when lo' the prince saw
her vanish. ~ u Wcrr. ani rushing from
the palace BE- was about to throw him
III into the "a. when he was che kcd
by the bride di.cariing the ring and
calling him by name.
The custom ~ wearing locks ~ hair
or picture, Ia rings has gone cat of q lc.
The poisoned ring l. no longer made. for
wc have got beyond the DAYS Of the Hot.
eias and the Mcdicis IL l. generally L.
licycl that Hannibal killed himsclf with
poison which ho had lons carried Ia a
ring made for that purPo-c, and Dcmos-
thcncs "a said 20 have worn a poison
circlct
The true romance % the ring l. con.
ncciel with the engagement and we'd.
ding nngcrA My lady wears the one
with anticipation and th- other with
pride. A. long As the world stands the
hoop 81 gold will Ios-css significance
which no other personal ornament can
have T G. IlAIhaugh In rii.burg Bul.
letin.