Highest of all in Leavening Strength.—Latest V. S. Gov't Report. Powder ABSOLUTELY PCJBE FREELAND TRIBUNE. Established 1333. PUBLISHED EVEHV MONDAY AND THURSDAY TRIBUNE PRINTING COMPANY, Limited. OFFICE: MAIN STIU KT AHOVK C'ENTHK. Ma he all money order#, check#, etc., payahh to the Tribune Printing Company, Limited. SUBSCRIPTION KATES: One Tear $1.50 Six Months 75 Four Months 50 Two Months 25 The (lute which the subscription is juthl to is on the address label ol' each paper, the ehanpv of which to a subsequent (late becomes a receipt for remittance. For instance: (J rover Cleveland 28June07 means that Grover is paid up to June 28,18iT. Keep the figures in advanee of the present date. Report promptly to tins ollice whenever paper is not received. Arrearages must IM paid when subscription is discontinued. FREEHAND, DECEMBER 24. 1896. Those "Official" Figures. The "official" figures furnished by some of the states which wont for Mckinley at thu recent election afford many sur prises. The growth of the voting popu lation seems so tremendous that the in crease can he accounted for in no other way except that the election ollicers in (ioul)tful states did the counting irres pective of the the number of ballots which has been polled. Cleveland curried California in 1 sir.' by 147 and Bryan received 22.0(H) more vote ■ than Cleveland received, and yet McKii ley carried California. Cleveland carried Illinois in 1892 1. 20,993 and Bryan received 33,470 mor votes than Cleveland received-—yet Mc- Ivinloy carried Illinois. Cleveland carried Indiana in 1892 b 7,125 and Bryan received 42,000 nunc than Cleveland received —■yet McKinle. carried Indiana. Harrison carried lowa in 1892 by 23,729 and Bryan received 4.541 more votes than Harrison received—yet Mc- Kinley carried lowa. Cleveland carried Kentucky in 1802 by 10,020 and Bryan received 12.330 more votes than Cleveland received—vet Mi Kinley gets twelve of the thirteen Ken tucky electors. Harrison carried Michigan in lso2b\ 20.412 and Bryan received 41.000 mor> votes than Harrison received -vet Mc- Kin ley carried Michigan. Harrison carried Minnesota in 1 *9.2 fr 21.003 and Bryan received 10,711 moiv votes than Harrison received—yet Me Kinley carried Minnesota. Harrison carried Ohio in 1802 by 1.072 and Bryan received no.ooo more vote than Harrison received -yet McKinley carried Ohio. Harrison carried Oregon in iso 2, am Bryan received 9.000 more votes thai. Harrison received—yet McKinley car ried < >regon. The vote of Delaware. North Dakota. Maryland, West Virginia and other state i> equally as startling, and would seem to indicate an increase of voters of nearly one million in four years an in crease beyond the hounds of probability, and which can be accounted for only by wholesale ballot corruption. McKinley goes into ollice with hi certificate of election stamped with an indelible stain of fraud which even tin White House cannot hide. • The fake reports that were sent broadcast through the country after McKinley*s election, telling of mills re opening, factories starting and thous ands of men being employed in indus trial centres, have petered out. There were .none who did not wish this neu> was true, but many had their misgivings and a few weeks time has proven that those who doubted these reports were correct in their conclusions. Thecera of promised prosperity lias not yet ar rived, despite the booms which gold buy papers have conceived in their sanc tums. The news of business revival was part of the gold bugs* campaign of deception, and was as false as the argu ments. threats and promises made be fore the election. Business and trade is just as dull today the country over a - when the money question was unde cided. and the great victory which wa won by plutocracy and monopoly can now be seen in its true light. The dup ed merchants and laborers who voted against their personal Interests will have many idle days during the next four years to meditate upon the slick style in which they were buncoed last November. When Raby was sick, we gave her Cautorla.' When she was a Child, she cried for Castoria. When she became Miss, she clung to Castoria. When she bad Children, she gave tliein Castoria Wear Well shoe.- are warranted to Im precisely as represented. Von make no mistake In that store. Bargains in furniture at Sweeney A JleiTon's removal sale. IJ.xpert Farriers Wanted. With the stringency of the money market, the general depression of trade md the unstable condition of business of all descriptions, there is, as a matter of course, a tendency on the part of em ployers of all kinds of labor to reducm their working force as much as possi ble. Jn many large establishments liiere is a regular pay roll of cmp'oye who are not actually needed save for emergencies and the occasional rushes which occur in all lines of commercial life. As there are always men who arc willing to do anything to turn an hon est penny, it is not unnatural formany of the in to drift into the country ami apply to the farmers for temporary em ployment. There are comparatively few experts in furtnwork wlio are out of positions; the rank and file is re cruited from all trades and occupations with a fair sprinkling of those w ho are for the first time in their lives driven by stern necessity to do something rat lie i than suffer the pangs of hunger and tin desolation of iiorneJessness. It is scarce ly to be wondered at, says the New York Ledger, that this agricultural contingent makes rather poor work of a business which more than almos: any other requires experience, fore sight and accuracy, if reasonably good rc ults are to be expected. It lias long been the popular idea that brains be longs to the commercial man and brawn to the farmer, and that the latter was quite well enough equipped if he pos sessed that quality. That he needed quite as much brains as the banker, broker and merchant or professional man only dawned upon lisa short tine em. Now we have agricultural experi ment stations all over the country, each wit li a corps of trained agricultur ists whose business it is to make tests ol the relative values of farm products, both animal and vegetable. The com mon farmhand would be of little us in places of this sort. Sometimes, to be -uie, it is necessary to hire any hands uat offer, but this does not pay except in emergencies. It is much more profitable to hire a better class, men of accurate methods and industrious hub its, instructed in farming. A QUEER Family. "I here .- in Tennessee a family of three M.-ters which presents some of the most startling peculiarities unagin il h," said a gentleman from the state n (pit lion to a New Orleans Times- Democrat representative. "The three sisters live together on a farm, their •ole means of subsistence, and work arly and late to earn a livelihood. Two >1 them work in the field; tlie third locs the cooking and other housework, i hen- is but cue per iod of t lie year when my member of the trio has anything tc •ay to any other member. All during the winter, spring and summer they 'o about their business with the seal f silence on their lips. When fall amies and 1 lie crop is harvested they break I lie silence, and then only to quarrel over the division ol the pro ceeds. When each has succeeded in getting* all that she thinks possible si • nee reigns again until the next hnr \est time. The sisters have made *a name for themselves. They are known ar and near as the 'deaf-and-dumb triplets,' although this title is scarcely ippropria te." It has been estimated that 90 per cent, of people in trade fail at some time in their career, and for a merchant to remain in business over 30 years Aithout needing aid from bis creditors is a remarkable incident. People ol good memories, says the Detroit Free I'n s. have seen great fortunes tumble uto not hingness, and families tbnt have ooastcd of their wealth reduced to penury, through sudden changes thai i--it the commercial world. Kvery yeai idds new in - lances of i best* sudden re crscs, and while they should teach peo ple to be considerate to one another ihey should also suggest to persons now rich that they cannot control the wheels of fortune, and they should not be too boastful and too liarsh in tlieii stimate of others. "I object to the 'nicely' habit," said lie man with the pipe. "I can't iinder •tand why it clings to some very es r,iable people. Then) used to be a professor at Harvard, a great scholar, 100, who always *aid: 'Nicely, thank ;• ou. when anybody asked liini I low do you do?" or even 'How are ouV imagine a man being'nicely !'" I can't," said the young lady on the it her side of the library hearth. "It's oo much to expect of any woman to magine a man being •nicely.* 1 have •ten acquainted with several who were at her nice, though," she added, half misingly. It was a Bangor philosopher who ummed upa church fair in these terms: 'A church fair is a place where we pcml more money than we can afford for things we do not want in order to please people whom wc do not like anil :o help the heathens, who are happier limn we are." TWO CHRISTMAS EVES. An Armenian Maiden's Escape and It 3 Happy Sequol. I Christmas amid the mountains of ! Armenia. The scene of our story , is a little oriental village, in 189—, nestled amid the rugged cliffs at. the head of a smiling valley. The site of I the hamlet was a ravine running up the mountain side into a rocky pass, as though the great valley opening beyond had been whittled to a narrow point that it might penetrate the hills, (ireat precipices yawned on either side, and towering cliffs which seemed to have grown gray with age, even as the snow on the higher peaks of the mountains seemed the hoary lock of those ancients, which there had for centuries watched over the old world. Near by Mount Ararat, where rested the rk after the flood. It was here Noali tilled , his vineyards and the human race be- SHE LEAPED FROM THE PRECIPICE gun anew after the floods subsided, for Armenia is one of the oldest lands i and its people trace their lineage direct to that Biblical emigrant ship which colonized it w hen the world was young. From many a quaint, flat-roofed dwell ing urose Christmas carols to which sol't-voiced echoes sang responsive choruses among the cliffs, and at least one church bell tried bravely, singly and alone, to supply an imitation of Christmas chimes. It was a peaceful picture, upon which the stars twinkled, approvingly as they bespangled the slopes with frost-diamonds and coated countless sparkles from the pallid snow. The Armenians ore a devout people, and make much of the Christmas festival. This little hamlet was in many respects j not unlike Bethlehem, and near it were many shepherds who guarded their Hooks by night, as did those of Judea when the angels sang of peace on earth, good will to men. At the home of Abnua/ar, the head man of the village, there were quiet festivities, decorations of holly anil 1 other evergreens, songs of praise and stories which for generations had hand ed down cherished traditions and legends of Armenia. There were the aged grandfather and grandmother, Abun&zer anil liis good wife, three little girls ranging from six to twelve years old, and Zillah, the 16-year-old daugh ter, with her affianced lover Aktliar, the stalwart young herdsman. She was a beautiful maiden, with regular features, large eyes aglow with love, the small but symmetrical form char acteristic of so many women of her race. In her picturesque costume she i was marvellously handsome, and her tones were us musical as the tinkle of silvery bells or the low notes of Ak iliar's flute, to which she sometimes sang u soft accompaniment. The pleas ant scene in this home was duplicated in many others that starlit Christmas Suddenly the scene changed. The church bell rang in sharp, short strokes, a spirited alarm, confusion succeeded i calm, and there were excited exclamr tions and hurrying in hot huste .is . rider (lashed madly down the one central street, shouting: "Save yourselves, Christians, the Kurds are coming!*' But there was no time. Close upon his tracks came hundreds of swnthy horsemen, turbaned and tierce, with loud Mohammedan maledictions shouted in deep-voiced hate, and eyes which gleamed like live coals from be neath beetljng brows. In a moment pandemonium seemed to have broken loose, the guns spoke sharply, seime tars flashed ir. silver and turned crim son, and soon the flumes from burning buildings cast their lurid glare over an earthly hell wherein fiends held high carnival in shedding innocent blood. Abanazur and his family, with ot hci s, gained the church which stood on the I edge of a precipice, and there made a brave stnnd, but it was useless. ■ Breaches were made in the walls, the : place carried by storm, and hundreds j slain before the altar dedicated to peace and decorated with Christmas symbols j in readiness for the morrow. The lloor literally ran in blood, anil Zillah ii. speechless anguish beheld the men of her family and her lover cut down, and women subjected to tortures which chilled her to the soul. With other I women and girls she fought heroically, ! but finally found herself breat bless anil disarmed in the embrace of Rusiein, the huge leader of the Kurds, who had often in days of peace paid her atten tions as often repelled. Suddenly she drew the steel bodkin from her hair, plunged it with unerri.' g aim and the strength horn of despera tion into the giant's heart, and as he sank to the floor she bounded to the side of the church, seized a lighted taper, opened a trap door in the lloor, hurled the light Into a supply of powder stored there, and springing through a side door leaped from the precipice as scores of other women had done within the horrible half hour preceding. There was a flash, a thunderous roar, and the solid church seemed to be In aved h.gli in air, while in the luriil light of the ex plosion dead bodies of men and women i could be seen dmong the f-4 ng | ments, and with them scores of live Kurds struggling as the.v ar nsr, scorched and blackened, toward the sky. The fragments, huniun and other wise, came down again and darkness succeeded. The surviving Kurds bute!,- ! ered nil who survived, of the villagers, except the women they bore o(T as cap tives, but at the foot of the cliff they found but. the mangled remains of scores of brave women who had pre ferred death to slow torture and devil ish indignities. An hour later all was strangely still, burning ruins smoldering with the dull I glow of expiring embers marked the graves of hundreds, u:.d the spot 0:1 which but a short time before smiled happiness and home. Hut beautiful Zillah was not dead. She had fallen OP the soft bodies of the slain, had much to her surprise found herself but little hurt, and had crawled off into the nnr , row wooded paths which threaded the mountain fastencsses near, all familiar to her. She sought refuge in a moun tain shepherd's cave, who at morn vis ited the village in search for survivors, but found none. The fierce Kurds had made sure work of their bloody task. A few weeks later Zillah, through many hardships, found her way toth* seaside, and thence to America, coming to a great western metropolis with , other Armenian refugees, where sh found shelter with the Armenian eol ony. which did what it could for these unfortunates, human remnants saved from the furnaces of affliction which consumed so many noble lives in dark ened Armenia. Mourning for those she loved, almost despairing, she struggled bravely with her lot, and the sweet faced girl found friends and favor I among the free people who pitied her • woes and appreciated her faithful work. Patiently she toiled, but her pilkw ft ' Jh : .. . * V :M-J t iiW 1 # I '' xxX x v XX 5 ---" -v-. *:. -•„ -. THE SUMMER GIRL WHO STAYED UNTIL CHRISTMAS TIME. was wet with the tears of sorrow and her heart bled under the stabs of piero ir.gr grief. Brave and noble girl! How many like her, pieces of drift wood from the wrecks wrought by Turkish cruelty and fanaticism, have been stranded upon our kindlier shores. Zillnli turned in prayer toward the God of her fi thers, and sought at. Ilis feet the con solation earth denied. Even prayei cannot heal a broken heart; it can bin console and slightly assuage such grid as hers. Christmas eve in the little Armenian colony occupying corner of a foreign THE REUNION IN AMERICA. section of t lie great western city. The hall was decorated fop the occasion with the usual evergreens, and oriental hang ings served to recall in this modern land the familiar bejongings of lost homes among the Armenian mountains. Theje was a subdued cheerfulness among , the people present, n tributejo Christ mas, but they could not rejoice*rtbutTly wit. 1 'king voids in so many stricken hearts and the Moslems still oppressing the Christians among the far-off Ar menian hills. They sang, however, Christmas carols strangely sweet which recalled pictures of unforgot.ten homes, and hymns in which sad minor chords seemed to vibrate with unshed tears. What wonder that real tears welled up from tortured hearts, and that they sparkled in pretty Zillah's mournful eyes? Good will to men these exiles could know and feel, but peace on earth was not for them, even at Christmas, while Turkish scimetars still flashed forth the lightnings of fanatic hater?, and innocent blood reddened the soil of | far Armenia. There was to be a new arrival of Armenians to-night, and they were to recite at this gathering of their compatriots the story of their adven tures and their wrongs. Similar tales j had been often repeated by similar refugees. but the stories had a tragic , interest ever new, while they recounted renewed horror-sand the constantly re curring tragedies which added to the I list of the lost-, and the grand army cf sorrowing survivors. As the coming of the visitors was announced the music ceased and all arose to receive them, the hum of the great city without faint ly heard in the hush of expectancy with in. and the Christmas chimes from an American church nearby ringing cheer ily. though soft and subdued, through the frosty air. The door opened and there, marched in the little band who came from the valley of (he shadow of death, and first among them Abnnuzar and Akthar, the iather and lover so long listed among the dead. You should have seen Zi!- 1 nil's beautiful face, transfigured, the love-light in her large brown eyes, and heard the musically glad little cry with which she sprang into their arms, snug gling close at last with her plump arms about Aktliar's neck and his stalwart arm encirclii g her shapely waist. Who 4 , is ordinary Christmas happiness to such joy as hers, measureless as infinity deep as the sea? Does not love fill even , the vast spaces of Heaven? And the men were as deeply moved as the maid, for they had been us certain of ho;* death as she of theirs. Precious indeed are these gifts which fate,stem and un relenting at times, seems to snatch ■ torn the def.d to reward the love of the .iving. Never since angels sang at Bethlehem had Christmas seemed glad der to any human soul, than was this memorable Christmas eve to the beauti ful Armenian maiden. After the storm the eabn. Aktliar and Zillnli were wed ■ soon after, and Abanazor became no in mate of their happy home. Under the starry flag which, thank God, tolerates no religious persecution, they live in security, doing their durty as Christian citizens, loving their adopted land with passionate oriental fervor, and eontrib uting as they can toward the needs of those still suffering in the beloved home tonntry. They are loyal to the core hut hope the land of their adoption may do something to stay the hate wliic 1 t iiinsoned the land of their birth. God grant that their hope be not in vain. A simple story, the annals of lives touched with sorrows deeper than those { most of us in these happier lands hove known. Remembering our mercies at Christinas time, let us not forget the griefs which have burdened and op- J pressed such as these, but apply to them in fullest measure all that is meant by •'good will to men." To quote from the good old book, which was theirs pvc.i before it became ours: "These are they who come out of great, tribulation, and they washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Ldmh- Kor the T.nmh which is in the midtyt of the throne shall be their shepherd, and shall guide them unto fountains of the water of life; and God shall wipe away every tear from t heir ryes." | 4 I. EDGAR JONES. | ' " —: for infants and Children. TEIIRTY y aTl ' observation of Cagtorto with the patronage of millions of pwonw, permit us to apeak of it without gnening, It ia unquestionably the heat remedy for Infanta una Children the world has over known. It i hurmleaa. Children like it. It elves them health. 11 will save their lives. In it Mother, have aomething wlueh la nhaolutely aafe and practically perfect as a child'a medicine. Coatoria destroya "Worms. Castoria allays I'otrerishuosM. Castoria preventa vomiting Sonr Curd. Caatoria onroa Diarrhoaa and Wind Colio. Castoria roHovoa Toothing Troubles. Caatoria onroa Constipation and Flatulency. Caatoria neutralizes the effects of oarbonio acid gas or poisonous air. Caatoria does not contain morphine, opium, or other narcotic property. Castoria assimilates tho food, regulates the stomach and bowels, giving haalthy and natural sleep. Castoria ia put up In one-size bottles only. It ia not sold in bulk. Den't allow any one to sell you anything else on the plea or promise that it ia just aa good " and " will answer every pnrpose." Eoo that yon get C-A-S-T-O-R-I-A. The fao-simile y/ p ■ i. on every aignatnro of wrapper. Children Cry for Pitcher's Castoria. ——nwiiSS I ■ A (PC Art LOOX WOTKER3 A KASE TREAT FOR YOiJ ALL. A-. n, A J) Vi/ll Boys Sampson Suit, wiih Extra Fair of Pants, for\) I n * AN!) WD PA Y EXPRESS CM A Polls TO YOt'l DOOR. kPZta I U RIKKM6ER, you t' u 7 ( rnni on ® cft'ne'i ..gesi Wholesale Clothing Manufacturers in America, 'ld ny so y< n gg Ve three Profit*. I" J" 4B CUP. I The eboveatentloaed $1.76 Boy. Sampson Suit Black \t) x eiupenn v- N. CVTTTf I i ! ...i: 1 -i l-l v. na s.ii!.,r i.ui'jri fra'ij'd B/ "' fed •l-vd&idd. \ bUJLIb I MA: lined with acm mk Ox 'til \ 11 vv i. r A,bl ' r . t . 1 Sateen lining, I rimming and Work- UX ~ r " .\Wlth Eztrjil , ' ,ar : 'P III '■ ''"lit the best money can procure. ford \ ' 1 . rt * 3 I p C j ! '" t ' v, 2 " 'j| (asb Pocket. Olive \ | asted with extra Pants - W ' | n^n E. RO3ENBUR&S :U.TqT^ York City Blon o W. Jo Bryants Book who are interested in furthering the sa!e of Hen. V/. J. Bryan s new book should correspond im mediately with the publishers. The work will contain An ficcßu.it of his campaign tour . . . fcfcjspVr? Ifis biography, written by (lis wife . . Pis most important speeches . . . "" * 1 1 11 11 '■■"■■ll ■■ aianHMam C- '"7* Ilw results of the campaign of 1896. v —\ h-y A review of the political situation . . ■£> A3ENTS WANTED <& Mr. Bryan has announced his intention of devoting one-half of royalties to furthering the cause of bimetallism. 1 here are already indications of an enor mous sale. Address \Y. E5. CONKEY COMPANY, Publishers, P'!!-3"i Dearborn St....CHICAGO. replrifc Anvonp scndlnc n skotfh and description may 2 PAVAB, .wis. i'lIL' 1 ' ,rco ° r cl,r f" <>* FEE quickly nseettidn, free, whether an Invention Is Z ; ,77 , WHEN PATENT IS ALLOWED. W) .n >. probably patentable. ('•uuiiiunleatioiiH strictly < , Be< " ur fl o will conduct its sale for ynn with- j confidential. Oldest agency f.ir securing patents , 4 "" l e * lr * yharge. 32-PAGE KAND-BOOK ami list of Z in America. We have a Wasliington ofDce. |4 -W inventions WAntd mailed t<> inventors free upon Z I atents taken through Munn & Co. receive | 4 11,i8 *■ the most oomplete little potent book Z. special notice in tho published nnd evorv invenbr should WRITE FOR ONE SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN, < *;* NdroN 'Tc t any scientific Journal, weekly, terms >3.00 a year; 3™r7TVYVTTYWTTVrifVvTTv£ fl..>