Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1902-07-05
RINGS WITH QUEER HISTORIES
Finger CircIets Which Were Worn
by Royalties of Iona Auo,

Finger CircIets Which Were Worn
by Royalties of Long Ago.
Inc nephew of the late six Richard
Temple has in his possession a ring
IN which is set miniature musical
box that, on a spring being touched,
emits a soft tune-wierd and sad, an
echo OF the troublous past Over a
century back, says Tit Bits, this ring
belonged to loyal follower of the
Inflated French monarchy, who, when
thrown into prison, was wont to find
solace in the music of this ingenious
trinket.
1t played its last tune for him while
at the scaffold's foot he awaited exc
cution, from which hour it remained
unaccountably silent until it's present
owner took it to jeweler, who found
in it's mechanism clot of blood that
had impeded its action. On this being
removed the musical powers Of the
ring at once returned.
Still more curious, could it be
traced, would be the history of the
ring habitua1ly worn by that popular
novelist, Mr.. Rider Haggard 1t is
signet-ring, and centuries back en-
circled the finger of Rameses the
Great, the Pharaoh of the Oppression.
Another ring, that of Queen Taia, a
beautiful and INSCRIPTIONS monarch
Of Egypt, was formerly worn by the
famous writer. One day, however, it
was unfortunately broken as it's owner
was alighting from cab, and it is now
refegated to cabinet of curios.
In the imperial Russian cabinet is a
cameo ring of Greek workmanship,
which in years gone by was seduously
guarded at the Abbey of ST. Germain-
des-Pres as the espousal ring of the
Virgin Mary, the two figures thereon
being regarded as life portraits of
herself and Joseph. When, in 1893,
the abbey was destroyed, this ring
vanished, ultimately appearing again
in the collection of General Hydrow,
who sold it to the Russian Govern
ment, after modern antiquarian knowl-
edge had ruthlessly shattered the 1e-
gend of it's origin.
Many royalties possess rings which
they seem to regard with an almost
superstitions reverence. Two such
does the Gar of Russia own. One
contains a small piece Of the cross
and had the power, SO tradition asserts
of shielding its wearer from all ply
steal harm. Without it Russias ruler
will never set foot outside the palace.
bearing perchance in memory the fate
of Alexander II. who on the day of his
assassination had left this talisman
behind him.
The other ring, which is of Gothic
design, was given to the Princess
Charlotte of Prussia, daughter of Fred
erick William Ill, by her governess.
Many years later the future Gar
Nicholas, great-grandfathe of tn
present ruler, CHANGED to meet at din
ner the young princess, fell forthwith
in love with her and asked her for the
ring as a memento of their first meet
ing. She consented, and until the day
of his death Nicholas wore the gift,
first on his finger and then, when it
became too small, suspended round
his neck.
Another European potentate in the
person of the Emperor William owns
a ring of which the history, it may be
said, is lost in the depths of the ages.
Since the far off days of the Crusades
it has been in the possession of the
Hohenzollern family, when it was
taken from famous Moslem warrior,
who was slain in single combat by
one of the Emperor's ancestors. 1t
is simple in design and of no great in
trinsic value, being a plain gold band
set with a red stone, on which, in
place of the original inscription from
the Koran, is engraved a cross.