EARLY CLOSING MOVEMENT.

Bruce Herald, Volume VI, Issue 361, 29 March 1871, Page 7

EARLY CLOSING MOVEMENT.

(To the Editor of the Bruce Herald.) Sir,- Observing in your contemporary of a recent date, a letter in behalf of the earlyclosing movement, I have taken the trouble to watch the progress of that movement, and the necessity there was for such a letter. A 3 the end therein sought has not been obtained, permit me to cast in my mite of influence in furtherance of the same cause. The main plea in the letter refeired to eminently sets forth the claims to which young men have that the hours of labor be confined within certain limits ao that a portion of time at the close of each day might be afforded them for | engaging in healthful recreations, and also for cultivating and enlarging their mental capacity. In addition to what has been said in behalf of young nspirants to the honorable positions in life, allow me to add that there is another class in the community equally deserving of consideration — I mean married men with increasing families. Yon cannot fail to observe that this movement affects a large soction of the inhabitants of this place. " A.ll work and no play makes Jack a dull boy," is applicable to the storekeepers of Mil'on. Waiting on from eight in the morning until half-past eight in the evening during the long cold winter nights, makes storekeeping anything but desirable. " Shivery, shakery, 00, 00, oo." Lamps blazing, oil burning, tr\en stalking up and down flapping their arms and washing their hands with impsrceptible waterj for hours together after all other tradesmen have ceased fi o n their toil, is far from being either pleasant or profitable. But, sir, after all thab lias been said, I believe that the fault lie 3 not with the public but with the store • keepers themselves, and so far as I can learn, all are willing to close their places, of business at 7 p.m. with the exception of one. or two and these must remain at least half an hour later than the others, let the hour agreed upon be what it may. The display of such a spirit as that exhibits, is most reprehensible, and ought to. b« visited with, its osvn reward. But what I would wish to impress upon the minds oi. the community ancKfchose concerned is thi3, that we are all dependent upoa one another, and; that one of more cannot go on with-impu'nity opposing the wishes and of his fellows and prosper. Every well ordered society is go- , vefned by rul63 and regulations for th'd benefit of the whole. How comes it that the storekeepers of Milton wunot conformin th.6. . same way ? One party closes fdr the night at one hour, another at from half to one Hani: later, thereby showing a grasping narrowmindedness, and jealousy .of his neighbors real good. If the hour for closing was ? p m., and that well kept by all) there would be some leisure allowed fdi enjoying the friendly family circle around their own fire* sides and engaging iri' labors of love for toe benefit of they- families! - Life would then have an air. of sociality and comfort which;; at ?/> present it does not possess, whilst at -the' same time our young hopefuls would be lay 1 ing in stores. from the 'depths of love, or re- ■ gating themselves in the mutual improvermbnt societies, or other places of culture^ thereby fitting themselves for such places as;>; their aspirations of futiife greatness ta&fsuggesV "; ■• v . ; . , L.y .; ■ .- •■ ■ ■*■ :"-.:■ .Prooressv