Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-12-18
ROMANCE OF JENNY LIND.
The Pathetic Story of a Wealthy
New York Mans Infatuatfon.
Rochester. n. Y, Democrat.


Rochester. n. Y, Democrat.
The presence In this vicinity within
the past two days of an eccen trio in
dividual known popularity as Boots"
Van Steenbaugh 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 beaten man who now strolls
through towns and villages IN tbs
section of the state, with unkept hair
streaming In the wind. and wearing a
picturesque costume orpamented with
Enthusiastically arranged ribbons of red,
biae and white, was IN early life an
attractive and polished man, of dis
tinguished personal appearance, and a
gentleman by birth, education ana
fortune. He was first enthralled by
the nightingale of song. and finally
sought and obtained an introduction
to her. Jenny Lind listened TO his
avowals of undying affection, and it
is said even gave him some encour-
agement, but only in the end to re-
ject his advances.
Such was the intensity of his pas
sion and the sensitiveness of his ma
ture 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 dreamy
desert to the luckless lover. A gentle
man familiar with this romance in
real life, who knew the history of the
unhappy affair, said that Van Steen-
bauch was the favorite son of wealthy
parents in Ulster County. He was
always literally supplied with money,
and was popular in social circles in
New York City, where he spent much
of MS time. He was in the metropolis
when Jenny Lind made her appe ar-
ance and created such a Juror, and
night after night found him before
the footlights applaudlng her wildly
and sEowering foral gifts on the
stage.
Upon making her acquaintance he
made her many costly gifts, aggregat-
ing in value, it is said, some $50 900.
There appears little reason for believ-
ing that his suit was encouraged, and
he followed his charmer from city to
city, paying her continuous and
marked attention. At last she dis
carded him, and with his rejection
his reason left him, and he has since
lived the life of a wanderer, roaming
about ia the woods and highways in
the vicinity of Kingston. Occasion
ally he takes q short stroll along the
Hudson collecting funds to establish
a bank" and, singular to relate, be
receives generous contributions even
from strangers. A former acquain-
lance of the now mental and physical
sbipwrcck called at his hotel recently
and found IN an old and well-thumb
ed diary these words jotted down in
the old mans hand writing: Jenny
may not be called beautiful, but [
loved to look upon her face, and
when she appeared on the stage [
stood until the great storm of APP
plause had subsidized. was Jealous,
because she seemed to desire every
one to have the pleasure OF seeing her.
But then ] suppose she thought the
people bad 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 simple and beauti-
full character. On another leaf of
tine diary were these words: "And
that song bird sang of a summer corn
ing night. Was it true?" Beneath
these words were: Diamond orna
ments and point lace fan completed
her royal costume"
The old man is treated very kindly
by all with whom he comes in CON
tact and even the children greet him
warmly. He pays a visit to this city
about once year and, after making
short and incoherent speeches. pro
poses ''Three cheers for George Wash
ington and the great American
Eagle" closing with a song. The
contributions made to the eccentric
wanderer often aggregate some $50.
What he does with his money no one
appears to know and some persons
are Of the impression that he has a
considerable amount boarded away in
caves in the earth.