The sun., 1910-01-09
ENGAGEMENT RING COMEDIES
YOUNG WOMEN WHO DEFF
DICTATES OF ETIQUETTE.
II Says They shall Not select the Ring
but Most of Them Seem to DO So.
Fashions I'm Engagements and We'd
ding RinEs-Sentiment OF the Past


Fashions I'm Ensagement and We'd
ding Rings-Sentiment OF the Past.
This is the season when the thoughts
of many young men and women turn TO
engagement rings and wedding rings.
the pre-Lenten crop of marriages and
engagements being usually the largest
OF the year. Good form still requires
that the man shall select the engage
naent ring or appear TO select IL. Never
theIees the young woman usually has
a good deal 20 say on the subject. At
leading jeweIry stores. which deal only
In high class stones. perhaps One-half
OF the total number Of engagement rings
sold are purchased by men who come
In alone and carry OF the rings with them.
This does not prove necessarily that the
preferences OF the young women for
whom the rings are intended have not
been consulted in advance.
In one case young man who pur-
chased at a well known establishment
sfine solitaire engagement ring appeared
a week later and ask ed anxiously II he
might exchange it.
swhy, of course. Nothing easier"
he was assured. Whereupon he told
his story TO the salesman.
No sooner, It seems, had tho young
woman said yes than the young man,
without waiting to consult, her taste
rushed of to buy the engagement ring.
which he presented to her without getting
quite the look ed for results. The young
woman admired the ring Tremendously
no woman could do otherwise; but the
giver thought he detected slight reserva-
ton in her tone. hint OF disappotnt-
meut in her eye. and after some coaxing
il developed that she had set her heart
on a ruby ring when she should become
engaged. or course the young woman
got ruby ring.
Fifty times out of a hundred the deli
cate transaction is managed differently.
particularly II the man and his fiancee
are New Yorkers more OF less accustomed
to buying at certain shops. The other
day a young man called up a junior men,
Der Of q well known jewelry concern
and said to him:
'sI expect 10 drop in tomorrow after
noon with lady to look at rings. Maybe
you can imagine what's going TO happen;
but you must not appear TO know any
thing
.of course not came back over the
phone. Besides. you haven't told me
anything -.
iJust so.' continued the other. Il
shall not buy the ring. you understand.
till the next day
Dropping In casually at the time named,
the junior partner when presented TO
the lady proceeded as q matter OF course
TO show trays full OF hne rings, to talk
rings and to find out which ring to hold
In reserve.
The man know that I knew said the
ieweller In telling the story: his hancee
was also aware probably OF what was
going on. and yet the conventions were
observed, the man coming back alone the
day after to buy the ring.
"A case which happened last week
illustrates another up 70 da1e wsy o,
in the case. who often had been IN the
store, appeared and with my help selected
q ring which he asked to have put on one
side till he brought in a lady TO look ~
IL. Az usual ! was asked not 70 appear
wise as to what was going on.
Quite early the next morning In came
q young woman whose people have oeen
customers Of ours for years. She said
to me. speaking oonhdentiaily:
al understand that you have q rtna
put away for me to look at this after
noon. but want to see 1t now. Do sho"
Naturally could not refuse. and after
admlring the ring TO her hearts content
not TO tell her fiancee Of her visit that
morning nor to indicate that she and
had ever met before. Tpromised.
-When the two arrived later In the day
very gracious when I was presented. and
raved over tho ring. which presumably
she sAw for the first tinie,. It was . very
pretty httie bit OF comedy. which l en-
joysd as much a. she did.
tOne hour after tho two had sauntered
out the man rushed In again. paid FOR the
ring and carried IL or 70 put on tho giri''