The Detroit times., 1909-04-22
WOMAN WHO SAW
NAPOLEON DIES
Rosie Aaronwald. 108. As Child Kiss
ed Hand of Noted Emperor
Strew Flowers in His Path.

NEW YORK, April ga woman
whose hand was clasped by that OF
Napoleon the Great when he and his
troops occupied Warsaw In 1907 has
been laid 10 lest by the Daughters or
Jacob. She was Rosie Aaronwald.
second oldest inmate OF the Home for
the Aged al No 302 East Broadway,
who died after having exceeded by
more than a generation the allotted
measure OF threescore and ten.
Mrs. Aaronwald was easily the most
interesting Of the many inmates or
the home, though she was not quite
the oldest. Mother Davis. as they call
her. boa sts of her superior age, and
celebrated not long ago her ocn hun
dred and fifteenth birthday. She and
Rosie were firm friends, aud with
Young Yetta Schmidt, who is barely
over 20, they formed trio OF insep-
arables. Yetta devoting her time to
caring for the little wants OF the other
two. But though they had lost their
dear old friend. neither Yetta nor Mrs
Davis is iuconsolable. Strictly or
thodox, they looked placidly on Rosies
taking away. Besides. had not Rosie
always said she was ready to go when
ever 1t should please Him to call?
No. not always. II was only in the
last two years that Mrs Aaronwald
had been so resigned. Then an event
occurred which made her so happy
that she announced her readiness to
go That was when her blind son,
David suddenly regained his sight.
Rosie Aaronwald was born In Po-
land l0S years ago. She could recall
distinctly the French occupation OF
Warsaw, and in her loQuacious moods
would gather the old men and wom
en- OF the home around her and recount
how the Jewish community OF War
saw had welcomed Napoleon. Flow
ers were strcwn in the path OF the en-
peror by a band OF little girls. and
she was one of those little girls.
The emperor" che would say, 81
remember him well, though | was so
little only Ave or six years old. And
how proud | was when he took us
each by the hand IL kissed his hand
Yes, |. Rosie Aaronwald, kissed the
hand of the great French emperor"
And the chorus OF Obs" and
Abs that would fiutter round the
circle would only be broken by Supt.
Kruger's favorite question.
Rosie" he would ask, which did
you like best. Napoleon or the Gear
Nicolai?"
Ugh; that Nicolai, ugh" she
would respond. He would whip little
children as lie went along the street;
cruel man with whip. But Ma
poleon, he was grand gentleman"
Rosie married and became a
widow. For awhile she kept a store
in Warsaw, but her children emigrat-
ed to America, and 20 years ago, when
she was already 70 years old, she
crossed the ocean to join them Mat
ters went along we'll enough for al
most a quarter OF a century. David
supporting her from his earnings as
cigarmaker. Then one day he went
blind, and the old woman helpless to
aid herself. would have starved had
not Miss Lillian ID. Wald, the settle
ment worker. interested herself in the
case and obtained admittance for
Rosie to the Home OF the Daughters
OF Jacob That was Ave years ago,
and for three years David came to
visit her at the home, led by a little
child. and feeling his way with a stick.
But one day David came alone and
without a stick. His eyes had re-
sponded TO medical treatment. and he
could see once more. His mothers
JOY at what seemed TO her a miracul-
Gus event was boundless and she
waited thenceforth with serene calm
for the end.