The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1894-04-12
WEDDING RINGS.
The.r Use During All the Ages In Old
World Countries.

Wedding rings were used both by the
Greeks and Romans, but then only at
the ceremony of betrothal and not
that Of marriage. The AnglO-SaXOn
bridegroom at the bctrothal gave a
wed, or pledge, and ring was placed
on the maiden's right hand, where it
remained until marriage, and was
then transferred to the left. During
the reiyns Of George !. and George II.
the wedding ring was often worn on
the thumb. The placing of the ring
on the book is a remnant Of the an
cieut custom Of blessing the ring by
sprinkling holy water in the form of 3
cross, and this is still done in the RO-
man church.
One of the earliest forms Of rings
was the gcmel, or double ring, and
this was used rs a pledge before mar
riagc. They were generally made in
three parts, and broken in the presence
of witness, who retained the third
part In Germany, Sweden, Norway
and Denmark, it was common GUS
tom for the engaged couple each to
give TO the other q plain gold ring,
much resembling wedding ring. In
the last century wedding rings were
frequently inscribed with posies. DR..
John Thomas, who was bishop of Lin
coin in 1853, married four times. The
motto O. posy on the wedding ring at
his fourth marriage was:
If survive
!. III make them five.
King Henry VIII. gave Anne OF
Cloves 4 ring with the posy:
God send me well 20 keep.
1t was Il general custom in the mid
die ages for the bridegroom to place
the ring first on the thumb of the
bride, then on her second finger and
then on her third, at the name Of each
person of the Trinity, leaving it," as
the lubTic directs, on her fourth finger
at the word Amen, thus signifying by
action, not less than by word, that he
was undertaking the duties Of the mar
ried state, Gin the name Of the Father.
of the Son, and Of The Holy Ghost"
The reason assigned for the fourth fin
ger being appointed as the final rest
ing place Of the wedding ring is be,
cause on that finger there is generally
believed to be Il certain vein which pro-
ceeds to the heart The left hand most
probably was appointed, because the
virgins cspouSeu to the church wore
the ring OF their celestial nuptials on
the right hand. -WestminSter Review.
She Knew.
'Samantha,> said Mr.. Clugwater,
edo YOU know where my hat is?"
Your hat. Josiah" answered Mrs.
Chugwatar, sis in the corner over
there by. the bookcase where you tossed
it when you came home last night.
One Of your gloves is on the piano jusS
where you laid it; and the other is in
your overcoat rocket. The oyercoat
is hansFng or chair in the back par
lor exactlyNs you left it, Your Slip
pers ,arc uuaea' the lounge where you
throw item when You Pit on your
shoes. One of them has no heel and
the other has n hosc worn through
the solo and"
"Samaniha,". growled Nh Chug-
water, gathering up his hat and over
coat and moving toward the door,
you'd get along just us well if Won
were norr,ite so Acknowledgements. Chi
cago Tribune
-I'ramp- You arc very kind in Civ
;o' me In, dinner, sir.' citizent-
"Nevcr niiiI. my poor mani don't
wa. .try return. Cleveland Plain
Ije.sier. -
The big BLIZZARD q Omaha, Ge@, ,s
oyer The great snow blockade on the
ITn;cn Pacific WAS lifted Ilntisdhy' and
.hs ;mnrisonci trains came in Eriiay
p,nrnin5-i-'- ~ %