Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1892-02-13
eiJylss8 WEDDING RINGS.
Mast yoaag People isr Very Matter Of
T4acs ri;,ea Choosing the Band.


Most yoaag g'ssplr Arr Very Matter Of
Facs r;lep Choosing the Band.
Just think cfitl Oae jewelry store on
the Bowery claims to sell over 400 we'd
ding rings d year. And yet we hear the
crs tast ssnea are not marrying. Ii
one Out Of the many stores that supply
these golden letters Of matrimony can
dispose Of such n number within a year,
what must the sales amount 10 when all
those that are eappliel by other firms
are added9
Surels somebody's gesl;ng f.sargied.
Dewn on tho Bowery, rear Grand
stress there hangs a golden hoop larga
oseesh 10 marry all the brides on that
side If town 1t is hing above jew
elry store, ana can 10 seen as well from
the elevated road us fTan The sidewalk.
Ii was from the window of u down toxin
train that FIRST caught sight Of it. A
young country looking couple that sat
near hyalso noticed the giantlikeenblem
Of weGloels, and | heard she girl whis-
per, "Oh, Willie, there's where we got
our ring. But Willie didn't look until
AA4t Ctti iitANi Ll-la5tt4 liAS NtNANt bA4N-i tfI
raised his eyebrows y little and said i
see" indiffereatly, and turned again to
the paper lie had been perusing. The
girl bit her lips and looked down at the
gold band upon her ungloved hand.
At the next station left the train and
visited the store where Willie had
bought the ring. One of the salesmen
said, in answer to a question, "There
isn't as 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, ana they buy the ring in the
most matter of fact way. Sometimes
tine man and woman come together, but
usually the gentleman comes alone to
get the ring.
"Do women ever select and pay for
their own wedding rings? Not very
often, although there was lady here
last week who did so. When a couple
come in together the man picks out
ring and asks his friend if it will do,
and she invariable answers Yes Then
he pays for it, and that's all there is
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 quarter to seven are the
usual sizes; but they run smaller up
town on Broadway"
Upon the counter he then placed two
trays containing wedding rings. Some
of them appeared too large for any finger
but that of a giant; yet it happens some
times that those are not large enough for
a would be purchaser. It is customary
among the Germans for both the man
and woman to buy ring and make a
mutual rift on the wedding day
The price Of wedding ring on the
Bowery ranges from eight to twenty
five dollars. the average price being ten
or fifteen dollars. Ia style, the old fash
Toned plain rouna circle Is generally pre-
ferred, because it is Us comfortable IN
the dishpan rs in 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 a wedding ring, the sales
man laughed ard answered that in his
fourteen wears experience it had never
taken couple longer than half M hour
10 select one, usually ten minutes. The
woman seems to think it's best to hurry
in the buying, or her escorts mind may
change on the subject
1--WE have never" said he, "had Il ring
that was bought returned because the
marriage didn't come off. Sometimes II
gentleman orders ring made that is TOO
heavy for the slender finger that IS t.
wear it, and then he brings it back AMI
we take off some of the gold. Frequent
ly, too, people bring as old rings to be
melted and made over, but this we re-
fuse to do"
'Why?" l asked. Because we can
not promise to give them back the same
gold that they brought us" he answered.
of course we send the article to be
made over to the workmen, but 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 Adj
yertiser.