The Washington herald., 1910-06-26

/ In visiting house one of the preachers
drew Wesley's attention to the hosts
daughter, who was wearing several jew
eled rings. but instead of the rebuke
which his preacher sought TO evoke,
Wesley only gravely and gently re-
mark, "A very beautiful hand"
Prof Frederick Mason Blanchard. of
the University OF Chicago, says there is
a psychological reason for placing the
wedding and the engagement rings on
the third finger Every finger, he ex-
plains, IS expressive OF a particular emo
ton. The third. or ring finger" he as
seTts, tells OF affection The other fin
gers are not used in a caress The whole
hand IS used. but the third finger is
brought forward, and II Is the one that
strokes the face or hand of the person to
whom affection is to be shown. There
may be objection made that the placing
of the wedding and the engagement rings
on this finger is merely custom; but
even II that is So there is some reason
for the origin of the custom. The reason,
believe, is wholly psychological. The
third finger is the finger of affection and
must always remain so. There is no
strong emotion for the little finger to
show. Il denotes delieacy. Il is sepa-
rated from the other fingers and is not
required 10 emphasize the meaning of
the stronger fingers. The little finger al
ways shows intuition A woman viii
hold this finger curled away from the
others. but a man. who does not care
much about delicate meanings, will let IL
fall in line with the others
Regarding the language OF rings, there
is an old rule laid down: IF man
wants a wife. the ring must be worn
upon the first finger of the left hand; If
he is engaged. 1t occupies the second fin
ger. If married he wears IL upon the
third, but II he is resolved upon celibacy,
/ then It is that IL is put upon the fourth
or little finger" This rule Is also adopt
ed for women. but 1t is carefully ex-
I planned that widows are not subject to
the rules" There is q woman In Phiia-
/ delphia who Is not governed by any rule,
for she wears a wide band of gold on her
thumb. Naturally 1t attracts much at
tention and occasions comment. One
night az q dinner party gentleman
I ly she penciied upon the menu:
For pleasure past and soyS 70 come
] this ring upon my thumb.
Under this her querist promptly wrote:
You've another thumb my lady dear.
| And another lover sitting here
Who'd give his chance Of the world to come
To place ring or the other thumb.
In ancient times II was considered high
| ~ improper for a single or unmarried
person TO wear circIets on their fingers
unless they were judges, doctors, or
senator's" For all but these dignitaries
such an unwarranted ornament was con-
sidered an evidence Of vanity, lasciv-
iousness, and pride" and the person who
should so far forget himself was thought
most presumptuOus Afianced persons.
according to another authority, were al
! lowed this honorable distinction and II
| is cited as an evidence of the high honor
| In which the eskste of wedlock was then
/ held that those about to enter it might
/ be so adorned.
/ But while angeS RIGGS have figured in
ali the political. court. and ecclesiastical
| history Of all times, it is their record as
love tokens and marriage emblems which
/ lends the greatest interest to these pref
| ~ or priceless. as the case may be. bau-
bles Of mankind. Herrick writes OF the
''jimmal rinE." which was given as a
love token only:
Thou sendest to me true love knot but
Returned ring Of tmTnais to imply
Thy love had one knot. mine triple tye.
I In later years this ring became one OF
espousal and was intended to typify COM
munity Of interest. mutual forbearance
| endless devotion, and all the other at
tributes OF the estate of matrinony I'm Its
most ideal perfection. The photography
was changed and written with g A
jimmal ring supposed TO belong to the
time OF Queen Elizabeth was found a: