no!' 78]^" ^^^' EASTERN CHEROKEE GROUPS — KUPFERER 251 



scholarship at a neighboring State university. George had high 

 hopes for him and wanted him to finish his "lessons" before he thought 

 about girls. Nevertheless, Bill married in November of his first 

 year of college. His wife moved in with the Weavers. Bill did not 

 return to school after January, and his son was born in April. George 

 was disappointed at the terminated career, but he said they had a 

 "real nice church wedding" instead of sneaking away to Georgia to 

 a Justice of the Peace. One of the things that bothered George 

 was the attitude of some of the people around. Because BUI was 

 making something of himself, they would hardly speak to him and 

 Emma. 



George travels up to Big Cove often. He worked up there until he 

 was transferred to his current location. George worries about those 

 "folks up in the Cove." They are so poor. "Guess they don't 

 think about dollars and cents the way I do. If they get a little 

 money, they spend it; if they don't get any, they get along. Me I 

 got a good job, I get a regular wage, yet I worry." 



An additional benefit accrues to George, for he is a veteran of 

 World War II. Accordingly, he uses the Veterans Administration 

 Hospital near AsheviUe if he requires prolonged medical help. He 

 had to take his 3-year-old boy in to Asheville to the hospital after 

 he fractured his skuU in a fall in the schoolyard. 



George and Emma went to the "set up" (wake) for Bird Partridge. 

 "He was a real 'old timey' Indian, and there are few of them left 

 any more." People around Big Cove stUl went to him for "doctoring" 

 occasionally, but George prefers White doctors. There is a lush 

 growth of poison ivy around the house. The children often have 

 some sort of white salve, which Emma procures from the Public 

 Health hospital, smeared on the blisters. She tried crushing some 

 ragweed on the irritations, but it did not seem to help much. 



George, as president of the Community Club, goes to Raleigh 

 occasionally for meetings on community development programs. He 

 does not like to go in the summer, "Us people who are used to the 

 mountains suffer from the heat down there." 



Land allotment is a subject which comes up often. George does 

 not approve of the idea. "The old Indians just couldn't handle the 

 situation." Because of this sentiment, he supports the candidate 

 for chief who represents the interests of the Conservatives. Actually, 

 he feels that his own best interests are protected by this candidate, 

 too, for "the White Indians are behind the other man." 



George is not given to long pauses and reflections in his speech 

 patterns; neither does he speak Cherokee, although he can under- 

 stand some of the conversation of Conservatives. 



