The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-07-22
JENNY LIND'S CRAZY LOVER.
AN OFFER THAT THE sONGsTRESS SAID
SIZE WOULD THINK ABOUE
A Man from Over the Sea Carrying on his
Pri,e-Berer OF Reason, yet Following
her Footsteps-The Outcnst of tho Catskiils.

A Man from Over the Sea Carrying on hi.
Prize-Beren OF Reason, yet Following
her Footsteps-The Outcast OF tho Catski,is.
Boots" Van Steenberg is well known in
tho region near tho Catskl mountains.
His christian name is Tobias. but. because he
wears an enormous pair OF boots. in all kinds
OF weather he has for years been known simply
as Boots" Twcnty-cight years ago he lost
his heart to the cantatrice. Jenny Lind. In her
first series OF concerts in this country. and his
reason followed his heart soon afterwnrd. His
romantic history, his strange costume and his
idiosyncraces have made him an object
alike Of pity and OF curiosity throughout
all tho country side. Dressed in but
ternut trousers woollcn shirt. and heavy
top boots. and decorated with colored
ribbons from head to foot. he marches brskly
from town to town. making patriotic and senti-
mental speeches and singing songs. Like the
Wandering jew hidden to traverse tho earth
without stopping or resting. Boots seems to
be walking out a life sentence OF perpetual mo-
tion. On arriving at town or village he
mounts up to some conspicuous position and
gives n series of view-haloos " that attract the
townspeople. They break into pcals OF laugh
ter at his queer sayings and ludicrous songs.
Then he passes his hat for coins. His chief
theme is love, and on this subject alone he
seems TO have full control OF his faculties. His
great blue eyes dilate. the bearded face, usually
expressionless. is lighted up with animation
and intelligence. and in clear ringing tones and
smoothly rounded sentences he gives full swing
90 the passion u his early days. He has little
hut near Platteki Glove. between Overlook and
Roundtop mountains, in which he occasionally
lodges at night. Here are collected all sorts
Of curIosities tina, he has picked up in his tray;
with caro-. 1t Is one Of the most romantic ana
picturesque regions o. that charming country
Ncar IL Is the Plattekill Falls n cataract OF ll2
feet which. while not SO extensive as Niagara,
resembles Niagara in the wild beauty OF Its
vast towering banks. worn by the ceaseless flow
of vnters into sounding buttressea and mighty
bastions. II is not easy 10 visit tins wonder OF
the Catskill mountains owng to the tai sharp
before 1t will be thoroughly explored by the
lovers Of wild scenery e...u,o,. h,,.
Is dressed with evergreen and laurel. Above
| the chimney piece i an elaborate frame thm
was once silded, within IT. : tle plTrEure prE new ,r
| key to Boot-s history. When only ~ years
of age. Stecnberg visited this city. He had
| n considerable sum Of money with him. and he
| became las ,innted with city lifc. One evening
| In September. 1850. in Tripler iial, he heard
| her In the $50 concerts the extent OF her en-
| gagement with Barnum, he listened TO her
nightly. He expended nearly $1,000 In bou-
| qlets Of choice flowers for her. These ho
| threw 10 her himself from his scat in the pit.
| After this she sang In Castle Garden. While
| standing NJ inc rlNke tnNT Nl kilS Au'uNlt Nut
night after the play aS was his custom IN noprs
| 10 catch n glimpse Of Jenny Lind. Boots felt
light hand touch his, arm. y was the song
stress herself. She had recognized the young
| man as he who had nightly thrown her flowers
from the pit. She handed him her card. Boots
" She was living near the Bowling Green. l
went to see her. She treated me very p9iiilIeIyy.
| asked her To marry me. She said she'd think
| about 1t. went 10 the house every day. hung
about the place every night. somstlmes che
- upt vxal1 | fh.narht pf her while uWnka
and drcamt OF her while asleep. My eNlstenee
was wrapt ny in her At length, when Thought
| was sure II winning her. man named otto
| Goldschmidt arrived from Europe. This man
seemed 4" have esuEerna'Gral power Over hcr.
| lips that usually greeted mo as ! sat directly
under the footlights was turned into cold
stare"
As he said this Boots" seemed overcome
with emotion. Tears trickled down his weather
beaten fac Th"traln OF his thoughts seemed
lost IN chaos, and he appeared !" no no more
reasoning being He had sent 10 her native
city. Siockholm. for IA largo picture Of her, and
| had had his ownpicture engraved ana copies sent
To- her. In all he had expended over II 900 on
Jenny Lind and he soon found his money well
| nigh expended Soon he heard Of her marriage
| 10 Gold-chmidt in Boston. The anxiety. the
breast Tor months. then eliminated in a
| deihroned. lie returned TO his home on the
Hudson, and endSayore4 t1raisGe money where
| Charleston, whittier they were aboutto journey.
He was unsuccessful at first, but at length be-
money In tho Kingston Savings Bank he went
there. drew a check for s5QO. and presented II.
waS 5snGd w m benrne lu % the sSm@ name no
| happened To have an account at the bank. and
Boots's' signature was very similar; lormer
teller Of the Bank. IN conversation with report
| er for THE sun AT Saugerties last week. SAID;
He had no difficulty in, Identifying himself
| as Tobias Steenherg. and through extreme care
lessness the check was paid. II was some time
| before the mistake was discovered. Then
| Boots WAS found but he had spent the money,
| and bDiuU cd that he WAS non rO1flDOS
mentiS. and innocent OF an Intentional crime.
nothing was done about II; ana irS r BANK .,s was
the check is still current in Kingston and It's
| enyirons.
| turned To New York. purchased hand organ,
and took the same steamship as did the song
| stress and her husband. He set the organ up
| in the cabin in front Of her stateroom. and
ground It by the hour. He considered this
serenade Il became nuisance. Boots's
mental condition became known 70 the officers.
wns rcacIed. Boots " followed The newly mar
rled pair from Charleston 10 Columbia. and
| theme" 10 New Orleans. H. Rscertancd the sit
| uation of the room OF the songstress. and then
played in the street rs, near it as possible; In
hotel but this was soon forbidden by the pro-
Alter several months Boots " became thor,
| oughly exhausted mentally and physically. and
| found his way back to his home at Kingston;
| from town to town with children at his heels.
| lie always treats them kindly and Is u favor
e the o viIagSs iISHas anI HI is III invaraby 'qTs Hd
| mittud free. His eXclamations at different
stages of the performance create amusement.
| la the CollinEwOod Opera House in Puugh-
| kccpsie especially he Is II favore. He visited
| the Centennial Exhibition. travelling the entire
| distance ON foot lie attempted To- make n patri-
| otic speech from the platform erected for the
| opening exercises. He was thought by the po-
| lice of PhiladophiA 20 be intoxicated, and was
| roughly handled. Boots was frightened. He
| hurried home ns fast as his legs would take
| him. and he does not speak OF the Centennial
| without trembling