The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1907-06-06
BILL YARDLEY'S FALL
How One Mean Act Ruined {
Workers Life.
A TRAITOR TO HIS FELLOWS.

1
His Colaborers to Further the Ends
of His EmpIoyer-Treaehery Brings
Terrible Retributon.
In mining town OF northern Penn
sylvania there lived at one time
Young man OF the hume Of William
Yardley. He held responsible posi-
ton with company which was oper-
atfng Il coal mine In the town, the
principal owner Of which was at that
| time n. man of the character OF MI.
Gradgrind. cold, scheming man
whose god was the dollar ana whose
aim was to bring the soul Of every
man in his employ into the most com
plctc subsection to his will and, failing
In this, to make his life as miserable
as possible.
He was polite to all, but sheer oil
the cynical type always greeted the
unfortunate man who was In the least
independent or manly in his character;
hence his men all grew to detest ana
dread him with feeling akin to fear,
He was delighted with this. lie
sDurned their friendship with maEnlil-
cent contempt. a mule or horse of
Ills own was Of value to him; not so his
men. They were objects Of the utmost
Indifference except rs they ground out
the toll that would yield them Dittan"e
that each was to get us his pay for all
that could be got out OF him Ill MS
work. TO the other members OF the
firm Mr.. Cakes was Il man OF grand
and mighty parts, kind Of King Sol
onion. whose place they could not fill.
Tile small boys held him in utter alb
iect terror, an ogre Of evil omen.
II WIS about this time that William
Yanlley received summons to the
presence of Mr. Cakes. "WllllHm.'
said the great man, Il understand the
men are not satisfied and are uniting
In some way to strike against us. Now,
you are the very man that can find out
the leaders of this thing, and want
you to get into the society or what
ever it is and let me know who are the
head men OF it and I'll-well, I'll have
some fun with them"
William YardIcy hesitated. This was
an act at which his soul revOlted.
Cakes saw this, and his wrath was at
once aroused. william YHrdlcy,"
said he, "my wish should be your law,
but never mind, sou may look out for
another job or do as tell you at once
Poor Yardlcy drew back rs If snake
had bitten him. Then lie thought of
his young wife and three little ones Mt
home. Cakes was UnnOvcd. what
say yOu?' he Kissed between his teeth.
"NIr. Cakes. I'll try to do as you say"
he replied. The bismarck of the coal
mine gave n low grOwl OF satisfaction
and said, "YOu will try ut once to get
all the Information You can Of the In
tcntipnS ana objects Of the men and let
me know II all and give no hint of 1t to
any one else and your promotion to
better POSITION will soon follow if the
information You get Is OF any value to
me-"
When Ynrdlcy told his wife OF this
new employment her Indignation and
disgust knew no bounds. "WilllAm
YardIcv," said she. "why didn't you
throw UP your work on the spot and
he Il mnn2 The children and | would
not starvc. God will not leave nor for
sake You or me, If we do right, and
you know 1t IS not right 10 do this
wicked work for Mr. Cakes and, oh,
please don't do one spark of it, don't
don't don't, for no good VIII come OF
II, You may be sure" But YHrdley
went do@Scdly t" his low task with the
remark that it was bread and butter or
nothing to him.
Within two weeks the town was in
M uproHr all work was suspended ana
the life Of William Yardlcy was open
~ mcnHccd as his part IN the exposure
Of the movement Of the men was re-
vCHcd. Spy, traitor. villain" were
the terms that greeted his ears at ev-
cry turn. Ills children could not 60
to school, his wife did not venture OH
the streets, ana the unhappy man was
soon Obliged to seek safety in flight.
lie went to Il far western state. but
even there the story of his treAchcry
to his fellow wOrkinEmen soon follow
ed him. ana to this day lie Is never re-
garhCd as Il man that Is worthy OF
trust or confidence.
lie is at this time man utterly de-
jCctcd and prCmHturcly old, his brave
wife Is long since dead and his sons
are suffering by the stain which rests
upon his name In spite of years OF eN-
cmplQry conduct
Mr.. OnEes gained an immense for
tune. but among his mon lie was never
ANYTHING but "Old Cakes" ana an OBJ
1cct of utter dislike and hatred to them
MI, while the entire working force or
the mine has changed several times
IN the twenty years that have gone
since these events; not one of the "old
LoDIu'E was thCrp ten wears ago, and
TruckIcton Is today Il dismal old tum-