The Mena weekly star., 1897-09-15
"FOREvER. PILL BE TRUE"
How the Sentiment Is SymboIfzed tn @
 World Over.

How the Sentiment Is SymbOIized the
 World Over.
 Commonplace and unromantic lovers still cling to the ring, with its old. fashioned symbolism, when they prom ise to be true to each other, while those who banker after the sensational find enough in the accepted fads of the day to satisfy their craving.
 Tatooing is regarded as the proper expression of love and fidelity just now A New England swain not long ago per suaded the girl of his choice to have bracelet tatooed on her left arm. She was willing, and an artist was called in who burned pretty Cupids and fam ing hearts in medallion form upon the lovers respective wrists. To make it more effective, it was done with blue and red ink. The couple exchanged in. itials, the girl wearing her lovers and he those of his sweetheart in one of those medallion-shaped etchings.
 In New York lives young Cuban woman who is very proud of her little feet. She insisted that her lover pre- sent her with a golden circle to wear around her pretty ankle in place of the customary engagement ring. The hoop fastens with peculiar lock, to which the tiance carries the key on his watch chain.
 A well-known athlete wore during the time of his engagement a costly belt set with brilliants and locks of hair of his wife-to-be. The lock was of red emaille, in the shape of heart, and was inscribed with the lady's initials.
 In England it is fashionable just now to have engagement rings and bracelets made of the hair of the beloved object, and men and women exchange their hirsute tokens indiscriminately. A romantic son of foggy London wears chain made of the hair of his betrothed around his neck. At the end a golden leart is fastened which he drops into his vest pocket like watch.
 young American woman and her lover had diamonds set into their front teeth during their engagement as a token of fidelity to each other. After the wedding they had them taken out and set into rings
 certain famous tragedian gave to his fiancee as bridal ring a golden finger nail. Through accident she had lost the nail from her left ring finger. To replace this with as valuable "scratcher" as he could, the lovelorn Thespian went to famous surgeon and offered him large sum of money for performing the operation of inserting the golden finger nail. The exact meas ure of the nail was taken; it was shaped just as the original had been by taking an impression of that of the right hand, and when it was finished the romantic lover had it engraved with his initials The operation of inserting the nail was trifie painful, but the lady cared not in view of this costly and unique gift and the devotion it expressed
 In Austria gold-hooped bracelets are very popular. They are worn to the cx- clusion of rings by engaged couples The lover locks upon the arm of his bride-to-be the golden circle and pock- cts the key, and she does the same with the man of her choice. It is said that there are fewer broken engagements, in view of the fact that these bracelets must either be filed off by locksmith If the engaged persons change their minds, or that the ceremony of unlock ing it by the respective persons leads to friendly adjustment of their quar- rels. and often heals the breach.--St. Louis Republic.