Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1919-09-02
HOME SERVICE HELPS
PETRO FIND HIMSELF
Interesting Story OF Little Italian
Who Knew No English But Soon
Learned

Rafaelo Petro went to work In the
mines of West Virginia when ne was
lonly fifteen. He had just come to this
country. He could read and write a
little in Italian-but never had an OPP
lportunity to study English, so that at
Itwenty-seven when the great war
leame and he was called tothe colors,
he could neither read nor write 1t
But he had grown to be a fine miner
well built-with perfect health, and
he was able to mine more coal than
any other two men. He once got out
thirty-two and half tons in one day,
or rather as his days work, which was
exactly four hours. This won him
honorable melton in the company
journal, which was published In the
town where Rafaelo lived. 1t seems
unbelievable, but there it is in black
and white.
In those days, just before the war.
lRaefaelo was making as high as $3.50
a month He was his own man, hap
Ipy, Independent, his future and that of
his wife and little girl assured. Then
Rafaelo was drafted. He laid down
his pick and took up gun, gladly, as
thousands OF his fellow countrymen
did for Uncle Sam, and these Italians
for the most part have made happy,
cheerful soldiers. Certainly Rafaelo
did, carrying his winning smile right
into the thick OF things over there,
yes, and coming home it too. even
though he left a leg somewhere in
France.
While he was away, there was de-
lay about the allotment and allowance
due Raefaelo's wife and she appealed
to the Red Cross Home Service. They
were able to straighten this out for
her She worked, and managed to
keep the little girl, very bright child,
in school.
Then Rafaelo, big, strong, smiling
Rafaelo, came home, with one leg
gone. He suffered a good deal at
times, finding it most difficult to get
about on crutches on account of his
weight.
Smiling still, yes, when one was
looking at him, but when he was
alone his face fell into rather tragic
lines,-lines caused by physical and
mental suffering. He is no fool this
Rafaelo. He knows better than any
one else his limitations. He cannot
read nor write he cannot even speak
so that people can readily understand
him; he knows coal mining and no
thing else-what of the future? He is
no longer man among men, so his
thoughts run, he Is a weakling, some
thing for someone to take care OF. 1t
is CALLING to him to have even women
and little children to open doors for
him and help him up and down stairs.
This kindness hurts-there are a
thousand reminders of his weakness.
And what of the wife and little Mary?
He had meant to have a good educa-
ton. all that he had not had. The flu
ture looked black. All this one could
see in Rafaelo's face when he thought
no one was looking. But he was in
articulate, like thousands OF others.
In his desperation he went to the
Red Cross Perhaps 1t Is not so not
iceable in other places, but in West
Virginia the many Italians have the
most beautiful and sublime faith In
the Red Cross This faith and their
loyal support have been an inspiration
to the Home Service workers. They
feel that there is no length to which
they cannot go, no service too great
to justify this abiding trust.
And so when Rafaelo asked for ad-
vice about his compensation, all as
sistance was given-his papers filed
and pending the granting of compen-
sation, financial assistance was Offer
ed and accepted Meanwhile, lengthy
discussions as to Rafaelo's future took
place and an engagement was made
with the Federal Boards representa-
five. At first when the Home Service
worker questioned Rafaelo as to any
ambition for work other than mining,
or knowledge of any kind, he only
shrugged his shoulders and shook his
head in hopeless way, but gradually.
as various things a man with two per-
fectly good arms might do were sug-
gested. he showed some interest but
the only ambition voiced was in an
swer to the question of the Home
Service secretary, who happened to be
holding a letter in her hand at the
moment, What would you like to do
more than anything in the whole
world, Rafaelo?"
He looked at the letter and said,
THAT
"To read?"
"Yes-and write"
The vocational board will teach you
Ito read and write and to do some work
that will make you much money
perhaps as much as you got in the
mines. wouldn't you like that!'
Rafaelo smiled and said YES"
So it was arranged that he should
go to the try-out school in Washing