(Recollections of Mary Ragucci – recorded 12/28/2002 by Joe Ragucci)
In Monte Sant’Angelo, a boy who wanted to court a young women would not come into her house but remain outside the front door.   There was this young boy who would come to the door to court Grace.  Her mother really liked this boy because it family was considered wealthy since they owned several homes.  Grace was not really interested in him.  At the same time her older brother had a friend, Giuseppe Ricucci, who would come into the house and visit.  Her father liked him.   Since he was allowed into the home, Grace got to know him and liked it, especially his curly hair.

Eventually, Giuseppe decided that he wanted to court Grace.  So he stopped coming into the house and would remain outside signaling that he wanted to court Grace.  Her mother did not want this because Giuseppe’s family was poor.  Grace needed to find a way to get rid of the first boy who was trying to court her.  One day there was a celebration in the piazza and she wore a fancy cape.  During the celebration this first boy threw confetti on her cape.  She used this as an excuse to get rid of him by saying that the confetti “ruined” her cape. 

Her mother was angry that she sent this “rich” boy away.   In her anger, her mother “shot” Grace and punctured her lung.  (Yes, her mother, the cowgirl, shot her with a gun!) The police wanted to arrest her but Grace wouldn’t press charges.  But from that day on she didn’t talk to her mother.  But she wouldn’t tell anyone who shot her.

Soon afterward, she married Giuseppe and moved out of the house.  Giuseppe’s brothers had gone to America to find work so Giuseppe followed them but left Grace in Monte Sant’Angelo.  She moved back into her mother and father’s house but still wouldn’t talk to her mother.  Since Giuseppe had trouble finding a job in America he did not send her any money.  As a result her mother would lock up the food pantry and wouldn’t give her any of her food.  Her younger brother who had moved out would bring her food to eat.  (The older brother sided with the mother and thus she didn’t talk with him either.)

Eventually, Giuseppe sent money so Grace could come to America to join him.  Grace was planning to leave without telling her mother who was working out in the fields.  Her mother found out she was leaving for America and rushed home to say goodbye.  This healed the bad feeling between them and they would write to each other after that. 

Comments on this story: Grace’s son Dominic and her daughter Angelina don’t recollect this story.  However, Angelina said that Grace did talk about her mother’s mother having a gun and about her father, Giuseppe, having to wait outside during courting.  She also remembers that Grace had to marry Giuseppe because one day when her mother was away, Giuseppe came inside and that meant that he had to marry her.  Bob Ciuffreda remembers hearing this story over 30 years ago about Grace being shot by her mother which is why she always had respiratory problems in later life.  Dolores remembers Grace talking about the long gun (rifle) that her mother would point at her when she was angry.