Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-12-02
ARoMANCE OF JENNY LIND.
A Pathetic Story of q Wealthy New York
Mans InfatuatiOn.

The presence in this city within the
past few days of an eccentric individual
known popularity as "Bootsn Van Steen-
baugh, says Poughkeepsie IN. W spe-
cial of Nov. II, has recalled a ro-
nance of the almost forgotten days when
Jenny Lind, the fair songstress, enchanted
thousands of the people of the metropolis
with her delicious warblings, and won for
her such a homage as only true art or
brilliant genius can command. The old,
weather-be aten man who now strolls
through towns and villages in
this section of the State, with
unkempt hair streaming in the wind, and
wearing picturesque costume ornament
ed with Enthusiastically arranged ribbons of
red, blue and white, was in early life an
attractive and polished man, of distin-
guished personal appearance, and gen.
tleman by birth, education and fortune.
He was first enthralled by the nightingale
of song, and finally sought and obtained
an Introduction to her. Jenny Lind lis
tened to his avOWals of undying affection,
and it is said even gave him some encOur-
agement, but only in the end to reject ais
advances.
Such was the intensity of his passion
and the sensitiveness of his nature that
after the rejection of his suit for the hand
of the fair sOngstress he became mentally
shipwrecked. and ever since life has been
a dreary desert to the luckless lover. A
gentleman familiar with this romance in
real life, who knew the history of the I'M
happy affair, said that Van Steenbaugh
was the favOrite son of wealthy parents
who resided in Ulster county. He was
always supplied literally with money and
was popular in social circles in New York
city, where he spent much of his time.
He was in the metropolis when Jenny
Lind made her appearance and created
such furOre, and night after night found
him before the footlights applauding her
wildly and showering floral gifts on the
stage.
Upon making her acquaintance he made
her many costly gifts, aggregating in
value, it is said, some $4,000. There APP
pears little reason for believing that his
suit was encouraged and he followed his
charmer from city to city, paying her con-
tinuous and marked attention. At last
she discarded him, and with his rejection
his reason left him and he has since lived
the life of wanderer, roaming about in
the woods and highways in the vicinity
of Kingston. Occasionally he takes
short stroll along the Hudson collecting
funds to establish bank" and singular
to relate he receives generous cOntribu-
lions even from strangers. A former &C
qualntance of the now mental and physi-
cal shipwreck called at his howell recently
and found in an old and well-thumbed
diary these words, jotted down in the
old mans handwriting: ''Jenny may
not be called beautiful, but l loved
to look upon her face, and when she
appeared on the stage l stood until the
great storm of applause had subsidized. l
was jealous, because she seemed to desire
every one to have the pleasure of seeing
her. But then | suppose she thought the
people had paid to see her, and didn't
want any one to be cheated. Her turning
her head first to the left and then to the
right was but the artless manifestation of
a simple and beautiful character" On
another leaf Of the diary were these
words: "And that song bird sang of a
summer coming night. Was it true?"
Beneath these words were: Diamond
ornaments and point lace far completed
her royal costume"
The old man is treated very kindly by
all with whom he comes in contact and
even the children greet him warmly. He
pays visit to this city about once year
and, after making short and often incO-
herent speeches, proposes "Three cheers
for George Washington and the great
American Eagle" closing with a song.
The contributions made to the eccentric
Wanderer often aggregate some $50.