Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-11-18
ENGAGEMENT RINGS.
Their Cost Usnally Gau9ed by the Size of
 the Lovers Pocket-Book.


 the Lovers Pocket-Book. ] The cost of an engagement ring is {, not gauged by tho mans love for the 1 lady, but according to the size of his pocket-booE, said a well-known jew eler.
 When end :an afford it the diamond ring is the ring of all rings for engage. menk. In upper-tendom nothing else is 1 given. Americans want a diamond-ring if they can afford it. Failing in that the next best is the pearl. It makes a very pretty engagement ring. Gener- l ally plain gold band with a solitary l stone Is given to bind the engagement 'It's funny to see how men will act when they come to buy an engage. ment ring. They generally never | mention what they want the ring for, but can just about tell what it is, and show them what is proper. I know a young man who will shortly wed who bought an engagement ring of me, and felt confident that I knew nothing aboutit. Meeting me on the street the day before, he says: oh, say, my broth. CT writes to me that he wants me to get him a nice ring. Now, I'll come in and see you.' I told him all right; and, sure enough, the next day he called and bought $150 engagement ring, OK. plaining that it was for his brother. did not say any thing. but smiled to my. self the next time met his girl and saw the ring on her finger. But there are other men who are afraid they may not get the correct thing, and so will take us to one side, and glancing about in 8 distrustful manner confide the secret that they are engaged and want ring, and good one, too, mind. "A far different class from the flyers who carelessly order an $500 engage ment ring are the clerks. They have fallen in love with some nice girl, and want an engagement ring, but, great heavensl they never can pay stiff price. They have been saving up their earnings for weeks for just this purpose, and now want to do the best they can. They tell me how it is that they can't afford to go over $50, or whereabouts, and yet want to get a nice ring. ask them: What do you prefer, quality or quan- tiEy?' and the answer invariably is qual. ity. l then show them small diamonds and cheap stones, and generally send, them on their way rejoicing. A girl in the same station of life as themselves would be well pleased with 8 $50 en- gagement ring, and it serves the pur. pose just as we'll. When they can not afford diamond, and want a cheaper stone, ask what complexion the lady is. and sell them a ring to match. Oh, tell you the average jeweler gets many glimpses of the love indulged in by the young people.
 ''Of all customers I would rather wait on the man who wants to buy an en- gagement ring. He is so easily suited. He does not kick over the price, and feels so happy and good-natured. He is in love, you see, and feels at peace with all mon, and inclined to look at the bright side of every thing. Just whether this will last like the true gold he buys or end in divorce court is, of course, impossible to predict. But if all marriages were as true as the en. gagement rings that preceded them there would be few divorces It is the occasion when a. man fairly lets him. self loose, and if he has the money will get all 1t can buy. A young real-es- tate dealer bought an engagement ring here couple of days ago that cost him $1, OO0 It was 2-carat stone in plain gold setting, but was Q beautiful ring. In his mind it was a token of the amount of his love for the lady of his choice"