DIVORCE RINGS.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 15 August 1925, Page 4

DIVORCE RINGS.

CHESTERTON'S COMMENT

•*A divorce ring, consisting of a Cupid's arrow broken In half, has just been devised by Paris jewellers, who seek to sell such rings to divorced persons. It is suggested that a ceremony should be associated with the putting on, of the ring.” Resisting the first suggestion that rushes into the mind, that the ceremony should consist of bashing in the face, banging on the head, rolling in the mud or kicking down the street the person whose intelligence is on the level requirede for “putting on the ring,” we might well consider the drawing up of a calmer and more symbolical ritual, says “G.K.’s Weekly." We suppose the bride would wear lemon instead of orange blossom, to suggest the acid and unpleasant nature : of her conversation and personality. Wo suppose that the husband would come accompanied by the Worst Man instead of the Best Man. Doubtless the co-respondent would naturally figure in this capacity. As people at the Black Mass used to say the Lord's Prayer backwards, we presume that at this peculiar sort, of Nuptial Mass, the musicians would*, have the delicate task of playing the Wedding March backwards. The solemn old gentleman who gives the lady away would ; somewhat change his function, after she had so completely given herself away. Pie would become a still morr sombre old gentleman whose duty it was to take her back. We presume that ashes or similar signs of woe would be sprinkled instead of rice, when a happy company assembled to cheer the lady and gentleman as they drove off in opposite directions. It would certainly give a new and vivid significance to the expression “a going away dress.” We will not pursue the parallel, which would become alarming. We can think of no logical contrary to a wedding breakfast except an emetic ; and the train of thought becomes too painful. But really, what is the good : of indulging our fancy in order to make fun of such a world ? It is al- ;; ready too funny to be made fun of. *' Nothing suggested by such fancy canget any further than the fact. It | is idle for us to imagine the ritual, i when these people have really and ] truly invented the ring. We are touched by the tender appropriateness of representing the occasion by a,broken arrow. It may very well pass, as there is no very obvious symbol for representing a broken woi’d. If there were, all such people might possibly desire to blazon their per- j : juries , on their persons in gold and | silver, in this vain-glorious fashion, i We do not see why there should not j be symbolical adornments for other forms of the failure of human beings, to keep their promises. A lady who had refused to pay her card debts might be distinguished by some resplendent diamond tiara. A handsome gold presentation watch might.

Ibe given to a fraudulent trustee. A ! particular sort of gold medal could be I presented to a soldier who had desert* i ed in face, of the enemy: a chaste and elegant design' representing a sword broken In two. But, as we have said, it is vain to ridicule the ridiculous: and even. - as we write, these things [ may be all coming true.