The Dickinson press., 1897-12-04
THE RING AND ITS. MEANING.

THE RING AND ITS MEANING.
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Few know how mSch tie bnesr
ring means, or ;hoW q haas teen
used, both for love and wrafare,
since the earliest ages. From tho
king to the peasant II his ussd . IN
emblem of faith. The kings signst
is as important as his crown, for
with it he is welded to his kingdom.
It not only was an emblem Of b.
trothal and marriage, but it was
placed upon the finger OF her who
became the bride Of the church, and
ON the finger of the widow who was
"espoused to God"
The gladiator's ring was 4 huge
affair made of iron or carved out Of
stone. It was not a beautiful piece
of workmanship. and on the hand Of
a man fighting for his life it became
q formidable weapon.
The "knocker ring" was quaint
and was generally made Of brass or
iron. It was used to knock ON the
house doors for admittance before
electric bells were ever dreamed Of.
The ring of Cesare Borgia is still
shown and is a harmless looking lit
tie affair, but with it he got rid of
many people whom he did not like
It has key fastened to it, and the
person to be disposed of was told to
take it and open a superb casket. 1t
required some effort to turn the key,
when concealed spring in the ring
would open tiny knife, tipped with
the deadliest poison. which would
fly out and deal the deathblow.
The episcopal ring is Of the purest
gold and is set with a ruby, uncut.
It was used to seal the baptismal
font from the beginning Of Lent to
Holy Saturday. The pope's ring is
never worn by him and at the death
of each pope the cardinal breaks the
ring with a golden mallet and his
successor has new one.
The Romans combined iron or
steel with the gold in their betrothal
and wedding rings. One has been
found among the ruins in Rome
with the word Roma" in steel let
ters riveted on the gold. .s
The Germans have pretty idea
in the double hoops, which fit close.
ly together, the man wearing one
half and his "fair ladye" the other.
At marriage these two rings are
riveted together and become the
wedding ring.
One" e"gimmal ring" "as tis called,
must not be forgotten. It has two
golden hoops, each set with dia-
monds in such way as to form a
perfect heart when joined. This
ring was given by Mary, queen of
Scots, to Queen Elizabeth, and it;was
this half ring which was sent by the
unhappy queen to Elizabeth asking
for pity.
Mourning or memorial rings are
still in existence, and in many old
wills may be found a memorandum
of "money for a memorial ring. -
It was sometimes engraved with the
device Of q skeleton, or death 3 head,
and sometimes had a concealed pic.
ture of the deceased {; occasionally il
was made of hair, between bars ol
gold.
So when the maiden has the he.
trothal ring placed upon her fnge,
she may X ow that the symbol o1
good faith is almost as old as man
and when the plain gold cirolet, EN-
blem Of wifehood, surrounds thu
finger the artery Of which is said t
lead directly to the heart she re
oeives the emblem Of eternity, tn,
never ending circle, which shall &
with her ''untir death do then
part" "and even on into the presenc.
of the eternal.-New York Tribune