Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1918-05-23

Charlotte Observer.

AO"oAu on0 AooVOA uOJ Va 0AAo
Civil War "the deserter" was a
much discussed institution in al
most every community IN the
country, and the custom Of har-
boring him by relatives and
friends was the cause OF much
bitter feelings and in a few in
stances, OF tragedies. The hid.
ing places of deserters were dark
ly hinted at by the people of the
neighborhoods, and sometimes
these places we're raided, but as
q general thing the occupanthad
been warned in time to escape.
1t sometimes happened however,
that the deserter was captured
and in such event he was pafad.
ed as something worse than a
criminal. In the minds of the
children there vas created a
wholesome fear of the deserter
and he was a character the wo.
men stood in awe OF. The pres
ent war seems to be producing
it's quota Of deserters an item in
the Monroe Enquirer brings re-
minders of Civil War days. That
paper makes the statement that
-four Union County men are de.
serters from the United States
Army and are in hiding at or
near their homes. The Enquir.
or says these deserters are being
fed, sheltered and befriended, and
those who are shielding them
know that they are violating the
law in doing So" The Enquirer
"regrets" that it is called upon
to make such a disclosure, but
does so from a sense OF duty, BE-
cause ''every person who gives
aid to these deserters is a disloy.
al man, and is not only disloyal,
but is a violator OF the laws"
Those who had argued that
the deserter was a product of an
unenlightened age and OF unln.
! telligent environment will be con-
, funded by the record growing out
of the present war. 1t will not be
contended that this is not an en-
lightened age, or that the envi.
ronment of the American citi-
zen is not far better than it was
half a Gentry and more ago. The
deserter now, as in all ages past,
is the product of a cowardice
born of war. He would rather in
cur the detfstation of his neigh
borhood and live the life OF a
horse thiet-of an Ontlaw-than
to 90 forth and 6ghtforhis coun-
try. We would imagine that the
psychologist could want no better
subject for the operation of his
analytical faculties than is affor-
ded in the deserter and the life he
is forced to live. In some neigh
boring cave, in some old barn. in
garret, :or outbuilding, he lives
IN concealment from day to day,
like a hunted animal, afraid to
venture out in day til1e, and un-
dertaking forays for food or Wis
it to friendly homes under cover
of darkness; nerves strung to the
highest tension and hisevery fac.
ulty alert to the slightest possible
noise that might indicate the
coming OF any one OF the thou.
sands he is constantly imagining
is on bis trail. His one ever.pres.
ent though is how he may con-
tinue to avoid capture while the
war is going on. 1t is doubtful il
he ever thinks of the life be must
lead when once De eme' ges from
.hiding-of how he will be forced
to live that life which be has pos
sibly saved only as a desertel
could have saved it. But why
why should not the Man With
out a Conscience emerge from hi
ding and again mingle with th.
people after the war is over
What would such a man care fol
the scorn OF a community, sc
long as he could continue to ex
ist with a whole hide? The deser