Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-01-03
A BOSTON GIRLS ROMANCE.
The widow OF King to Return to Her
Native City.

Native City
From The Washington Post.
BosToN. Dec. GA private cable dis
match received mere to-day says that the
widow OF ex-King Ferdinand, of Portugal
is coming back to Boston, her native city,
to live. Ferdinand is the father OF the
present King OF Portugal, and his oody
was buried with great pOmp last Tuesday
Mt Lisbon, The experience Wnlcn
brought a girl born in Boston ana eau
cased at its public schools into the select
and fastidIOus circles OF an ancient court
is exceptionally romantic. her name
appears in the royal red-booS, the alma
mack de Gotha, where the record OF the
career of the ex.King Ferdinand closes
with the statement that he was married
/ on June 10. 1869, to Elsie, Countess OF
| Edla, nee Hensler.
A quarter of a century or more ago
| there lived in Boston a musician named
/ Adolph Hensler, who had also practlced
/ his profession in Springfield. de had
| daughter, a brilliant brunette, whose
! charming manners and melOdlous voice
/ attracted the attention of persons promi-
nent IA the highest circles of taste and cul-
! ture. The girl had been educated at the
public schools and had prOfited by the
| facilities which her home afforded Tor
! her musical development. Among
those who were interested in the young
and promising singer were the late
Thomas G. Appleton, Henry W. Long
fellow and DR.. George Derby. They were
influential in having her brought out IN
concerts aud social entertainments. AT
ter singing with success in this country,
she went to Europe to complete her pro-
| fessiOnal education, where she attracted
! the admiration of Ferdinand of Portugal,
who was widely known for his artistic
| tastes and accomplishments, and who mad
acquired high reputation by the wisdom
with which be had administered for six
years the affairs Of Portugal during the
minority Of his son, Pedro '.
Miss Elise Hensler had received flatter-
/ ing attentions from society leaders IN
/ Europe during her musical career. Her
! stately figure and her queenly bearing
| added to the attractions of her fine voice.
/ King Ferdinand was only little beyond
! 30 years of age when he metln Lisbon the
Boston young lady, whom he prevailed
upon to abandon her career as a prlma
donna for the position OF his wife. 1t was
an honor such rs might well nave led her
to forego the prospects of the highest sue
cess in an art in which sue
cess is prOverbially uncertain and
feeting. The family connections, the
personal position of her sutton were more
exalted than those of the titled worthless
who had. before and since, brought brides
from America to England. He was allied
to the leading royal houses OF Europe. He
was by birth prince OF the house o.
SaXe-Coburg, cousin of the late Prince
Albert, cOnsort of Queen Victoria, and
one of his brothers married daughter of
Louis Philippe. His son, Dom Luis, King
of Portugal, is married to Princess Pie,
daughter of the late King Victor Eman-
uel of Italy, sister to the present King and
to the late King OF Spain, Amadeus /.
Before his marriage King Ferdinand
bestowed upon Miss Hensler the title OF
Countess OF Edla. The Kings wife, Ma
RE, second Queen Of Portugal, died in
1858, so that lt was after sixteen years OF
widOwhoOd that he took his Boston bride.
The palace occupied by the late King
and his Boston wife in Lisbon is called
the NeceSsidades, and the wits OF the
court in allusion 10 bis fOndness for costly
objects of art, styled it the palace OF the
preslocidades." Attic palace the still
beautiful BOstOnian has been visi-
ted by her nieces, the daugh-
ters of DR.. and Mrs. slade,
of Chestnut Hill, suburb of
Boston, and she has taken a lively inter
est in the prosperity OF her native city.
She sympathized with the kindly feelings
which her husband entertained for
Americans, and officers of our navy and
other citizens who visited Portugal we're
always sure of kindly welcome from the
happy pair. Besides the palatial resi-
dence which the ex-king Ferdinand and
his Boston wife kept up in the Portuguese
capital, they had a charming retreat
/ fifteen miles away, to which they retired
in the heats Of summer. This is at Cintra,
/ that lovely spot which has been so Visibly
/ pictured by Byron in "Childe Harold
/ King Ferdinand had an especial claim to
I the regard of Americans from the
| powerful support which he gave to the
! Union cause during the war of the REBEL
| ion. Now that Ferdinand's palace is
shrouded in mourning by the death of her
beloved husband, his wife's thoughts
| turn with keener interest to the home
Of her childhood, which she has never
ceased TO love. Changes have oc-
CURED since she left Boston
which will awaken sad memories,
/ The deaths Of her early friends and admir-
ers. like Thomas G. Appleton, the poet
/ LongfellOw and Dr. George Derby, have
made gaps not easily filed in the Oid-time
| social circle here bat with the society of
! a beloved sister and her family, the widow
Of benefcent king will find much TO en-
| joy i'll a city which, more than any other
in the country, retains the affections of
| persons born and brought up amid its lib
/ eralizing influence. Her royal husband
/ left her about $4,000. 900.