The Hot Springs star. (Hot Spings [Hot Springs], Dakota [Dakota Territory, i.e. S.D.]) 1886-189?, 1891-12-25
eunNo WEDDING RINGS.
Most Young People Are Very Matter o
Fac When Choosing the Band.

Most Young People Are Very Matter OF
Fact When Choosing the Band.
just think of it! One jewelry store on
the Bowery claims to sell over 400 we'd
ding rings a year. And yet we hear the,
cry that "men are not marrying" If
one out of the many stores that supply
these golden letters of matrimony can
dispose of such u number within n year,
what must the sales amount to when all
those that are supplied by other firms
are added?
Surely somebody's getting married.
Down on the Bowery, near Grand
street, there hangs q golden hoop large
enough to marry all the brides on that
side of town. 1t is hung above a Jew
elry store, and can be seen as we'll from
the elevated road as from the sidewalk.
1t was from the window Of Il down town
train that / first caught sight of it. A
young country looking couple that sat
near by also noticed the giantli!Se emble1a
of wedlocli, and l heard the girl whis-
per, ooh, Willie, there's where W. got
OH ring" Dnt Willie didn't look until
the car had passed the store; then he
raised his eyebrows little and said, 81
see" indiiferantly, and turned again to
the paper he had been perusing. The
girl bit hey lips and looked down at the
gold band upon her unglovcl hand.
AT the next station ] left the train and
visited the store where Willie had
bought the ring. One of the statesmen
said, in answer to a question, "There
isn't us much sentiment in the business
as one might suppose. BY the time the
happy couple arrive here they have got
beyond the blushing stage of heart
disease, and they buy tho ring in the
most matter Of fact way. Sometimes
the man and oma come together, but
usually the gentleman comes alone to
get the ring.
"Do women eve select and pay for
their own wedding rings? Not very
often, although there was Il lady here
last week who did SO. When Il couple
come in together the man picks out a
ring and asks his friend if it will do,
ana she inyariable wv 'Yes.' Then
he pays for it, and that's all there ia
about it,"
"What size of ring is usually re-
quired:" l asked. sin this part Of the
city," replied the practical salesman.
'froin six and a quarter to sever are the
usual sizes; but they run smaller up
town on Broadway"
Upon tile counter he then placed two
trays continuing welding rings. Some
Of them appeared too large for any finger
but that of Il giant: yet it happens some
times that these are Tot lar se enough for
a would be purchaser. it is customary
among the Ger1nan. for both the man
and woman to buy a ring and make a
mutual gift on the wedding day.
The price Of u wedding ring on the
Bowery ranges from eight to twenty
five dollars, tho average price being ten
or fifteen dollars. In style, the old fash
icned plain round circle is generally pre-
ferrel, because it is as comfortable in
the dishpan as i'll the drawing room, and
the sentimental little wife need never
take it off for fear OF its being spoiled.
When asked how long it usually took
to purchase u wedding ring, the sales
man laughed and answered that in his
fourteen years. experience it had never
taken u couple longer than half an hour
to select one, usually ten minutes. The
woman seems to think it's best to hurry,
i'll the buying, or her escorts mind may
change on the subject.
I'VE have never" said he, chad a ring
that was bought returned because the
marriage didn't come off. Sometimes q
gentleman orders u ring made that is too
heavy for the slender finger that is to
Wear it, and then he brings it back and
we take off some of the gold. Frequent
~, too. people bring us old rings to be
melted aud made over, but this we re-
fuse to do"
"Whyy" l asked. "Because we can-
not promise to give them back the SAME
gold that they brought U.S." he answered.
"Of course we send the article to be
made over to the workmen, hut it is
thrown into the same crucible as all the
other gold, and who knows after that
which was '%grandma's ring or the 'baby's
spoon;' not we, surely."-New York Ad-
vertiSer.