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439 Alfred DeGrasse (1890–1978) DeGrasse attended the Carlisle Indian School in Pennsylvania, graduating in 1911 with Robert Tahamont (Abenaki, also in this volume). He was active in student leadership, serving as vice president of his senior class and treasurer of the debating society, the Invincibles, of which Tahamont also was a member. Although attending Carlisle was traumatic for many students, DeGrasse’s writings express some pride. The Carlisle Arrow, for which he wrote the following pieces, reported that he attended commencement and school basketball games after his own graduation and kept in touch with the school by letter about his travels, including a trip to Texas and California. About Poison Ivy Poison ivy belongs to what is called the Rhus family of plants. When it grows in an upright position it is called poison oak. Poison ivy is found in most every locality—in the woods, along the road sides, in the swamps and in the meadows. The most common place it is found is growing on stone walls. The leaves are oval and pointed at the top. They are from four to six inches long and from three to five inches wide. The edges are sometimes notched, but are mostly found with plain edges. The upper side of the leaves has a lustrous color and the under side has a downy covering. The young leaves have a lustrous brownish color and are always found in groups of three. The flowers are of a greenish yellow and grow in drooping clusters. The berries grow in small clusters like grapes. In late summer they are a light brown color and later on they change to white. Although ivy is poison the juice is extracted and used as medicine. When one is poisoned by ivy mix two teaspoons of pure carbolic acid, two tablespoons of glycerin and one-half pint of water, or rose water, and bathe the affected parts. Or rub the affected parts well with grindelia. (1909) 440 wampanoag The Legend of the Red Eagle Once, a tribe of Indians was troubled by a large red eagle. Every one of the tribe was afraid of him. Finally, the chief offered a sum of money as a reward to any one who would kill the eagle, but none of them were tempted to kill the bird for such a paltry reward. So the chief, in order to make the contest more alluring, offered as a reward to any one who would kill and bring him the eagle the choice of his two daughters. It happened that one day while some of the braves of the tribe were out hunting, they came across a hunter who was shooting buffalo with a magic arrow. When they saw the large number he had slain with his magic arrow they were sure he could kill the red eagle for them. They told him of the prize which would be given to any one who could kill the bird. He promised to be there on the next day. The band of warriors went back to camp confident that they had found one who could kill the eagle. That evening they related to the chief what had happened. There happened to be an Indian among the tribe who was exceedingly anxious to win the prize, either by foul or fair means, so he determined to go and meet the hunter with the magic arrow and capture it if possible. He found him on his way to the village with the arrow. He bound him to a tree and took the arrow. After disguising himself, he went back to the village where he was heartily welcomed. Meanwhile, a squaw who was passing by the road, heard the cries of the hunter and went to him and set him free, and after telling her what had happened, he proceeded to the village. Just before sunrise next day all the people gathered around to witness the shooting of the eagle. The hunter came with his arrows, and as the eagle rose he shot three arrows; but in spite of the magic arrow the eagle spread his wings and flew away. As the disappointed people were about to leave, the squaw who had set the real owner of the arrow free, rode up to them on a horse and told them of the happenings of the day before. The people were enraged, and they turned upon the thief and drove him out of the village and forbade his return. The...

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