The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1880-01-03

would enable him TO follow the woman
he worshiped. He in this wise OBJ
tanned some few dollars, and then he
set out on his chase of the Barnum
party. His money gave out, and the
railroads refused him free passage, but
this did not drive him from his purpose.
1t became his custom to get on board a
train at one station and submit to being
removed at the next. This was his
plan until the train hands came to know
him and his purpose; then he was not
allowed to enter car. All the while
he was carrying his organ-and at last
he one day tramped into Southern
city and was gladdened to discover that
he had finally reached the object of his
pursuit. He hunted up the hotel where
Jenny Lind was stopping and in front
of that he played one livelong afternoon
"a serenade, his organs six tunes fol-
lowing right along, one chasing the
other with delightful pertinacity. There
is no deciding how much longer he
would have continued to discourse his
heaven-born symphonies had not a
burly policeman somewhat energetical-
ly forced him to retire. He, however,
met his adored face to face after a long
watch; she saw and recognized him
with sad smile; that pianist saw him,
too, but his smile was a scowl and the
muttering of certain words that our
pious pen translateth not.
When Van Steenburgh started out to
follow up the Barnum exhibition he was
made the subject of much rude ridicule.
One day he was questioned as to his
purpose, and he talked st great length.
Finally, however, his interlocutor
thought to push him to the wall, and
asked:
"Well, now, how are you ever going
to be able to catch up with p. I. Bar
mum? You haven't got any money to
pay car fare?'
mo, not much money" replied he,
by no means Disconnected" not much
money, but do you see those bootsP'
pushing forward his feet; "those boots
will carry me through" Then he wan
dered off incoherently in reference to a
bright future ahead. From that time
he has been known as ''Boots" Van
Steenburgh, and to-day there is scarce
ly a person in Duchess or Ulster Coun-
ty but that knows him by this title
rather than by his rightful name of
Tobias.
He was never again able to meet his
idol, though he by no means gave up
his quest. He tramped with his organ
through most of the States, but his pill
grimages were in vain. Since Jenny
Lind recrossed the ocean "Boots" has
lived alone in the hut which we have
visited this afternoon, near the little
hamlet of Glasco. 1t is strange abode,
a small, rough structure, scarce nine
feet square, and but one story in height.
A cedar grove Immediately adjoins,
and this he has dignifed by the title of
ozark" 1t is well worth a long Jour-
ney to see how the mans insane freaks
have cropped out in this matter. He
has gathered the stone that abound in
the vicinity, and with them has built a
foot-high wall about the "park and
dwelling. The inclosure is cut up into
squares by rows of oyster and clam
shells, while every tree is connected by
string with its neighbor, in imitation of
telegraph wire. He has a chicken
hawk and crow and dog; these COM
prise his menagerie. Numerous paint
ed signs are placed conspicuously in the
grove; among others we note the fol-
lowing: Keep off the Grass" "Ladies
to the Right" "No Loud Talking"
Reserved Seats Free" and "Hands
OFF,"
We expressed wonder that the man
had not starved in all these years, but
the gentlemen who visited the park
with us, and to whom we are indebted
for the greater part of poor Van Steen-
burgh's life-history, said:
"Boots' is thoroughly known in every
town for circuit of forty miles, and
wherever he goes he is made the object
of considerable charity. He is nothing
more nor less than beggar in these
latter days, and with his meaningless
songs and empty talk he creates many
a laugh that pays him far better than
any other appeal"
When he first came back from his
long tramp he employed himself at
nights in carrying on booth in pub
lie street in Kingston. He sold Jenny
Lind ballads, printed on small slips of
paper.
He played his organ and attracted
very general attention by lighting up
the fence against which he located with
a long row of candles. He did not grow
rich in this wise and when he moved
into the hut on the Glasco road he
adopted other means of livelihood-one
of the original ideas executed being the
Wholesale breeding of cats and the ped
ding of kittens. 1t is estimated that
he at one time had upward of three
hundred of these musical felines of
various ages, color, and lung power.
Of late, however, he attempts to OBJ
tain funds in no way aside from beg
ging. He will enter store, court
room, any place where there is a
gathering of people, and will address
each and all with, elbow much Won
got for the unionp'' This phrase he
never changes. Occasionally he will
sing a song (according to his own
ideas), pass off a rambling string of
senseless stuff as an Grafton, but to
grant these favors he always demands
cash in advance. Two or three years
ago he conceived the idea that he was
the principal owner of one of the KING