The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1874-09-10
Jntel(igerfer,
Late Hours.

1t is not merely popular prejudice which
keep late hours. Bad hours and bad deeds are
believed to be generally found in company.
That they who sleep should sleep in the mig ght,
is truism in harmony at once with the oruer
of nature and good society If the regulation,
once enforced in England, that every light
should be extinguished at the ringing OF tne
clrfew bell, or nine in the evening" was little
arbitrary, it must have imposed valuable re-
straint on the practice of vice. we are re-
minded, by the result OF, recent trial In TINS
city, how deeply these impressions have rooted
themselves in: the popular mind The accused
was in that case not proven, by direct evidence,
to be guilty of the charge preferred against
him; but the fact that he was seen about the
premises of his paramour about three O'CLOCK
In the morning, turned the scale against him,
and secured his conviction.
Late hours are incompatible with successful
business The trader the banker, or the man
ufacturer who keeps late hours, never succeeds.
This is the rule and the exceptions only prove
its truth There are plenty of reasons tor this;
and every man of experience knows how to at
tach. to them their proper weight. Late houfs
unfit a man for business.
First. On account of the physical effects.
I'm these days of sharp competition, nothing
but Good abilities, applied with the most un-
Welding energy, will achieve success. The ira
der who comes to his Office half exhausted for
lack of "nature's sweet repose," with his brain
muddled, his step heavy, his eye dull, and his
nerves irritable, is pretty sure to be Grabbed
with his clerks and his customers; ne is be-
hind with his work, spends his short and hur-
rled day in state of fretful anxiety, augmen-
ted by the harassing surroundings OF neglec-
ted business; has no time to look ahead TO
trace out his future course, and justly weigh
the prospects; his fevered brain cannot as
calmly take in the situation as his cool-hcaded
neighbor, who has full eight hours OF dream
less, sober slumber he forgets his notes, his
orally, which results in quarrcls and suits. lie
seeks his friends sympathy and consolation,
by declaring how terribly he is overworked
He bewails his lot, and thinks it will kill him
and so it will-not the work, but his bad hab-
its. Il will be found that nine out OF ten OF
these soverworked" people are the victims OF
some exhausting habit 1t is when the vital
forces begin to slacken, and the nervous sys-
tenn flags, that the worst mischief OF late hours
sets in. Stimulants and higher pitch of ex-
cita1nent become indispensable, and the result
is soon reduced to one or two alternates-re-
formation. or ruin.
:, Second The moral effects are not less 1nl-
portant in considering this dangerous vice Io
keep up this unnatural excitement which sets
at defiance the course of nature, whisky, tobac-
co and cards are the chief agencies. 1t is not
often that topics of science, art morals or re-
ligion are discussed till break of day with So
Der sense, for the purposes of mutual improve,
ment. These are midday topics. which do not
intoxicate, but edify 'i'hose that be drunken
are drunken in the night" 'Rioting in the
daytime is represented in the Bible as the last
stage, when all self-respect is gone-when the
bottom round in the ladder of degradation. is
reached. Late hours make the small begin
ming, ssthe parting of the ways" the point at
which the path Of vice is entered upon. We'd
ded to bad company, as they are apt soon to
be, an endless progeny of vices folIies, failures
and troubles spring up to plague their victim;
Its the fitting occupation of bats, owls, and
hungry wolves, to squeak, and screech, and howl
in the deadphours Of night; but the young man
who would achieve any success in business life
must go to bed early-must work in the day
and sleep ,innthe night.