The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1907-07-08
BILL YARDLEYS FALL
How One Mean Act Ruined Z
Workers Life.
A TRAITOR TO HIS FELLOWS.

Story Of a Coal Minor Who spied on
His coIaborers to Further tho Ends
Of HE Employer reachery Brings
Terrible Rstrlbution.
In d mining town Of northern Penn
sylvania there lived at one time a
young man of the name Of William
Yardley. He held responsible posi-.
ton with company which was oper-
atlng coal mine in the town, the
principal owner OF which was at that
time man OF the character Of Mr..
Gradgrind, a cold, scheming man,
whose god was the dollar and whose
aim was to bring the soul OF every
man in his employ into the most com
plete subsection to his Will and, falling
in this, to make his life as miserable
as possible.
He was polite to all. but sneer Of
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 and
dread him with feeling akin to fear.
He was delighted with this. He
spurned their friendship with magnif
cent contempt. A mule or q horse Of
his own was of value to him; not SO his
men. They were objects of the utmost
indifference except as they ground out
the toll that would yield them pittance
that each was to get as his pay for all
| that could be got out OF him In his
work. TO the other members OF the
| firm Mr.. Cakes was man Of grams
and mighty parts. kind Of King Sol
onion, whose place they could not I'LL.
The small boys held him in utter abb
Ject terror, an ogre Of evil omen.
1t was about this time that William
Yardey received summons to the
presence OF Mr.. Cakes. william"
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 Il IS and let me know who are the
head men Of It and Ill--well, III have
some fun with them"
William Yardley hesitated This was
an act at which his soul revolted.
Cakes saw this, and bis wrath was at
once aroused. William Yardley,"
said be. my wish should be your law,
but never mind, you may look out for
another job or do as tell you at once"
Poor Yardley drew back as II snake
had bitten him. Then he thought of
his young wife and three little ones at
home. Cakes was unmoyed, what
say your he Kissed between his teeth.
''Mr. Cakes. I'll try to do as you say
he replied. The Bismarck Of the coal
mine gave a low growi Of satisfaction
and said, "You will try at once to get
all the information you can Of the In
tentions aud objects Of the men and let
me know 1t all and give no hint Of 1t to
any one else and your promotion TO a
better position VIII soon follow II the
Information you get Is of any value to
me-"
When Yardley told his wife Of this
new employment, her indignation and
disgust knew no bounds. william
Yardley." said she, why didn't you
throw up your work on the spot and
be MANI The children and | would
not starve. God will not leave nor for
sake you or me. If we do right. and
you know It is not right to do this
wicked work for Mr. Cakes, and, oh,
please don't do one spark Of 1t, don't.
don't, don't. for no good viii come OF
It, you may be sure" But Yardley
went doggedly TO his low task with the
remark that It was bread and butter or
nothing to him.
Within two weeks the town was IN
an uproar, all work was suspended and
the life OF William Yardley was open
ly menaced as his part in the exposure
of the movement OF the men was re-
vealed. Spy, traitor, villain" were
the terms that greeted his ears at ey-
cry turn. His children could not go
to school, his wife did not venture on
the streets, and the unhappy man was
soon obliged to seek safety IN flight.
He went to far western state, but
even there the story Of his treachery
to his fellow workingmen soon follow
ed him. and TO this day he is never re-
garded as man that is worthy Of
trust or confidence.
he Is at this time man utterly dc.
Jected and prematuroly old, his brave
wife is long SINCE dead and his sons
are suffering hy the stain which rests
upon bis nnmc IN spite OF years Of ex-
emplary conduct
/ Mr. Cakes gained an immense for.
tune, but among his men he was never
anything but "Old Cakes and an OBJ
ject OF utter dislike and hatred to them
all, while the entire working force Of
the mino has changed several times
in the twenty years that have gone
since these events; not one Of the 'old
hands" was there ten years ago. and
Truckleton Is today a dismal old tum-
bledown relic Of the past. Mr.. 0akes,
the Rev. Mr.. Nickerson and al the old
citizens Of the place are gone,
Ask any one now a resident Of the
town to point out their resting places
ana ali they VIII reply. Il don't know,
but hear that old Jim Cakes was a
tough Yin, and as to the old minister
and the rest, II they did any good
haven't heard Of II, that's all"-Dr q.
NJ, Weideman in American Federation.
ist