The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1885-03-16
SUBSCRIPTIONS
BOOTS ROMANCE.
A Mental Wreck from Cnreduited Love
for Jenny Lind.


for Jenny Lind.
CPoughlzeepsie News-Pressl
To see "Boots Van Steenburg, as he is
called, with unkempt hair flying in the
wind and his unshaven face decked, in
suit of red, white and blue, with long
streamers of all colors attached to his
clothing, and a weather beaten straw hat
decked with ribbons, and asking penny
of each one he meets, as he wanders from
place to place in the Hudson valley, one
would not think that tender passion ever
thrilled his rough breast, a maiden glance
had ever opened his sigh-valves, or drew
forth one imprisoned utteTance of love.
And yet it was no less a parsonage than
the nightingale of song Jenny Lind, who
for a while listened to the mars avowals
of undying affection only to tell him in
the end that he loved in vain and made him
a mental wreck, his life dreary waste
A gentleman who knows of the incident
related the following to a reporter:
"Boots, as he is called, was an attractive
young man, the idolized son of Ulster
county parents, who never stinted him
with money. He CHANGED to be in New
York when Jenny Lind created furOre
in the musical world, and went to hear
her. lie was smitten with her charms,
sought an introduction fell madly in
love, and light after night sat in front of
the footlights to applaud the sOngstress
and the story goes that $50, 900 would not
cover the cost of them. There is no
doubtthat his suit was encouraged; but
she discarded him. He followed the song
stress from place to place in a vain en-
deavor to renew his suit, until his reason
was partially destroyed.
Since then he has lived the life of
wild man in the woods, near Kingston, &C.
casionally making trip up the Hudson
to collect funds to start bank His col
lections II all these years have been large,
but what he has done with the money no
body knows or can ascertain. Some
years ago | called at his place and found
an old diary, and in it were words some
thing likes these: Jenny may not 10
beautiful, but l love to look upon her
face. and when she appeared upon the
Stage | stood until the great storm of ap-
plause had subsidized. | was jealous, be-
cause she seemed to desire everyone to
have the pleasure of seeing her. But
then | suppose she thought the people had
paid to see her, and didn't want anyone 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 beau
tiful character On another leaf of the
diary were these words: "And that song
bird sang Of summer coming night
Was it true?" Beneath these words were:
Diamond ornaments and point-lace fan
completed her royal costume
Boots" has always been perfectly
harmless, and the boys in Kingston and
other places never jeer him as he makes
his rounds This queer mortal visits the
city twice a year to deliver patriotic
speeches and collect money. His usual
speaking places are the court house steps
and the opera house stepping block. His
stereotyped speech, familiar to many,
goes something like this: "Three cheers
for George Washington and the great
American eagle, ana the goose hangs
hight" He Invariably closes his speech
with song so disconnected that the
words cannot be caught.