The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-11-25
ROYAL RING ROMANCES.
Monarchs Who Own Lucky and Un-
lucky Bands of Value.
From Tit Bits.

From Tit Bits.
The Car of all the Russias has a ring
which he believes it is necessary he
should always have about him. In it's alb
sence he will not move a step from the
palace. The ring contains what is sup
posed to be small piece of the cross on
which the Savior was crucihed. The fact
that when he was assassinated Gar
Nicholas's grandfather had not the prec-
ious ring with him enormously strength
ems the belief in it's protective virtues.
The German Emperor has ring which
he wears at all times and regards as his
own peculiar talisman, though few are
aware of the fact.
An absurd though curious, history is
told of this ring. 1t is to the effect that
in the days of Elector John of Brandon
burg a toad entered that worthy's room
one night and placed a small stone on
the bed 1t then disappeared, and ever
since the stone. which has no real value.
has been treasured as one of the most
precious possessions of the house OF Ho
henzollern BY the father of Frederick
the Great 1t was set in a ring, which
since that time has always adorned the
finger of the head of the family.
The late Ameer of Afghanistan was an
other potentate who put faith in a ring.
He invariably wore this potent charm
although he was more often reported
dead than any other monarch of his day,
this ring, according to his own belief en-
abled him to live great deal longer than
he would have done without 1t.
Napoleon l. was, If possible, more of a
fatalist than even the impressionable
Turk, yet, strange to say he wore a
couple of rings to which he ascribed mys-
FERROUS powers In course OF time both
these rings came into the possession of
Napoleon Ill, who wore them constantly
down to the time of his death. 1t was
then proposed that they should be re-
moved from his finger, but for some
reason or other his son, the late Prince
Imperial refused to accept them
The rings were therefore inferred with
the remains at Chislehurst, though the
Princes decision did not commend itself
to the retainers of the deceased Emperor.
On the contrary, they strongly dissented
from it, and expressed the belief that for
his dlscarding of the rings he would
come to an untimely end.
1t is about twenty-seven years since the
Prince Imperial was killed by the Zulus,
soon after his arrival at the seat of war
to fight for the country that had be-
friended his parents and provided them
with a home.
What could be more romantic than the
history of the famous coronation ring?
According to the story, 1t was originally
an ordinary royal ring which was be-
slowed by Edward the Confessor on an
aged medicant In the street, who begged
aims to help him on his journey to Je-
rusalem.
On the beggar's arrival at the Holy
City the story OF the ring somehow came
to the knowledge of st. John, the Divine,
who blessed the circet and babe the wan
derer return 1t to his sovereign. This he
accordingly did through two English pill
grilns who were returning from visit
to the Holy Land The ring was after
ward carefully preserved at the Confess
sor's shrine at Westminster, and the
story was painted on glass, which was
fixed in a window of the south aisle of
the venerable abbey.
King Alfonso of Spain is the possessor
of a ring of strange and awesome history.
1t was presented to his predecessor and
namesake, Alfonso XII, to his consort,
Queen Mercedes, who died within a month
afterward Ere the funeral had taken
place the king bestowed the ring on his
sister Maria, and she was dead in a few
days.
The fatal circlet then coming again into
his possession. he presented it to his sis
ter-fn-law, Princess Christiana, who only
survived for three months. Thereupon