The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1911-02-03
YANKEE GIRL
WIFE OF KING
Romantic Story of Springfield
Lass Recalled by Portugal's
Recent Overturn
WE'D MANUEL'S ANCESTOR
Became Quite Well Known as Woman
Who Changed the Map Of
Europe.

The recent deposition of King Man
uel of Portugal and the events in the
young kings life that led up to it
bring back to the minds of some of
the older residents OF Springfield the
story of Elsie Hensler, the Springfield
girl, who married a king and became
the Countess Edla. The king she
married was Don Ferdinand II. Of
Portugal, a great-grandfatherr of King
Manuel.
Elsie Hensler lived in Springfield
about sixty years ago, probably for
about four years. Her father, Con-
rad Hensler, was a tailor, and ac-
cording to the directories Of SPRING
field in 1848 and 1852, first conduct
ed a small shop on Stockbridge street.
Elsie was one of a trio that COM
that church was organized, says the
Springfield Republican. The Hens
lers were humble people and lived
simply. The daughters, Elsie and
Louise, were well received here and
were given good musical education,
markable voice.
Signor Guidi, at the time q we'll
known teacher of the voice, took an
! interest in Elsie, and it was when. Sig
nor Guidi went to Boston that the
Henslers went there, largely through
his influence. He believed that Elsie
had a future as singer, and wished
her to be where he could continue
teaching her. The Hensler girls went
among good people of Boston, and
Louise, who is rem embered as the
prettier of the two girls, married a
wealthy Boston physician named
Slade.
Elsie Hensler, after her removal to
Boston. continued her studies and be-
came a singer and dancer. She not
only appeared in concert in the large
cities in this country, but also in Eu-
rope, where she sang before royalty.
1t was while singing in Lisbon, sew
eral years after the death of Queen
Maria, that King Ferdinand heard
her voice and felt the attraction that
led him to marry her.
Ferdinand was the tftular king Of
Portugal, having been the second
husband of Queen Maria II. of Por-
tugal. Ferdinand married Maria in
1885. when he was twenty. The queen
died in 1853, and he was regent dur
who was the father of the assassinat-
ed King Carlos, the grandfather of
the deposed king, Emanuel. The re-
gency ended in 1855, and on June 10,
1863, he married Miss Hensler.
When the European powers decid-
Spain to a monarchy, following the
overthrow of the short republic,
which existed from 1873 to 1873, con-
siderable pressure was brought to
bear upon Ferdinand to induce him
to accept the vacant throne. But his
wife could never be queen Of SPAIN
and 1t Is possible that this fact alone
induced him to refuse
This absolute refusal to accept the
throne of Spain in exchange for the
romantic life that he was living with
his morganatic wife had far reaching
consequences. The complications AMI
Jealousies resultant on the attempt to
find a king acceptable to all the
powers helped to bring on the Fran
CO. Prussian war, and Alsace and Lor-
ralne went back to Germany
In consequence, Elsie Hensler,
Countess Edla, became famous
throughout the world as "the wom-
an who changed the map of Europe"
During the life of the king they lived
In the beautiful castle Of Cintra. In
1885 the king died, and after that the
countess lived in retirement in a cot
tage near the castle.