The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1902-08-30
RINGS WITH QUEER HISTORIES,
Finger CircIets Which Were Worn
by Royalties cf Iona Auo,

The 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
emlts soft tune-wicrd and sad, an
| echo OF the troublous past Over d
century back, says Tit Bits, this ring
belonged to loyal follower of the
ill-fated French monarchy, who, when
thrown into prison, was wont to find
solace in the music of this ingenious
trinket.
1t played it's 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 a jeweler, who found
in its mechanism a 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 habitually worn by that popular
novelist, Mr.. Rider Haggard. 1t is a
oiShSI-iihS, anu AChlull bdSh
circled the finger of Rameses the
Great. the Pharaoh of the Oppression.
Another ring, that of Queen Taia. a
beautiful and unscrupulous monarch
of Egypt, was formerly worn by the
famous writer One day, however. it
was unfortunately broken as it's owner
was alighting from a 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 1913,
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 its origin.
Many royalties possess rings which
they seem to regard with an almost
superstitions reverence. Two such
does the Car of Russia own. One
contains a small piece Of the cross
and had the power, SO tradition asserts
of shielding it's wearer from all ply
sical harm. Without 1t Russia's 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
erlck William Ill. by her governess.
Many years later the future Car
Nicholas, great-grandfather of the
present ruler, chanced 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 1t
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
family, when 1t was
taken from a 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 cross.