The Adair County news., 1921-06-28
Something to
Think Ab0ut
MEMS WEDDING RINGS.
By r. II. WALKER

THE Brooklyn Eagle, which reports
l. most things accurately and well,
published the news that in its city
the use of wedding rings for men is
gaining rapidly in popularity.
This is interesting and important IL
it means that men are coming to take
the marriage ceremony and its vows
more seriously and that the divorce
rate is as a consequence to cease in
its upward trend.
The wedding ring is relic of saw
agery. 1t is probably a descendant Of
the metal bracelet and chain by which
the earlier tribes of men assured them
- selves that their spouses would not
wander away from the house domicile
while the master Of the house was
away hunting.
Some more engaging wife, having
convinced her husband Of unQuestion-
able fidelity, was rewarded by having
the bracelet replaced by the ring and
the chain done away with altogether.
The ring by itself showed that she
was married. The absence Of the
chain said, "Here Is an exceptionally
fine wife," That fattered and pleased
both parties.
But IL the modern woman is ex-
pected to- wear a wedding ring and
advertise her married position, what
good reason is there why the husband
should not be marked In an equally
prominent manner and his Limitations
OF freedom equally advertised?
An old custom of the marriage cere-
mOny consisted Of putting the wedding
\, ring first on the thumb, then on the
first finger, then on the second, speak.
ing the names Of the Trinity as the
ceremony proceeded, and, finally, when
It rested on the third finger, 1t was
( supposed to signify that next to her
duties to God the wife recognized her
duties to her husband.
OF course, it ought not to require q
ring or any other form of emblem to
make a man or a woman hold sacred
the vows of the altar. If a thin band
of gold or platinum is all that re
strains either one of them from wan,
dering, then. the divorce court is pot
very far away.
To most women the wedding ring
is a very sacred thing. 1t is the las
thing that goes to the pawnshop wher
adversely demands its toll. Just how
much it means to the men, who In
accordance with the new custom will
wear ii, is a question that only tes
will settle.
The question Of divorce in this coun
try is fast getting to be Of such dimen
sions as to demand serious corrective
attention.
In twenty years the number Of di
vorces granted annually has increased
from about 10000 to $4,000 with
total in the twenty years of nearl!
two millions.
In Nevada there are almost as man.
divorces as there are marriages, but
since Nevada has been the resort o
many citizens from other states seek
ing freedom from marital ties it ma.
be fairer to point to Oregon whicl
has only two and half times as man
marriages as divorces.
In six counties in four states tn
record shows so per cent more d
vorces than marriages.
The innocent parties to these dis
agreements are the children and i
the past 20 years more than 10000
sons and daughters Of disagreein
parents have been involved in tn
court proceedings which followed th
desire for separation.
In many states 1t has come to
easier to get divorced than 1t is to q
married. Scarcely two states have q
vorce laws alike, and what is ileg'
in one state becomes perfectly q
right 50 far as the statutes go tn
minute the imaginary line between
and another commonwealth is crosses
Perhaps the custom Of Meddin