The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-01-11
a TRAMP WHO LIVES HIGH.
Dimes with the Great MiIIiOnaires
Very ErenuentIv.

West Point Letter In New York Times.
The most aristocratic tramp in the Uni
ted States holds a first mortgage on the
route from Garrison's TO Rhineclif. For
more than dozen years Henry Madison,
known to every schoolboy in the towns
between these places as Buttons" has
journeyed along the Hudson and levied
tribute on the kitchens of the millionaires
whose homes crown the hilltops of the
Highlands. Madison is extremely jealous
of other tramps and refuses to associate
with them. This eXclusiveness has nearly
cost him his life on more than one occa-
sion when the knights of the road" have
taken umbrage at his heightened ways.
only the personal Intervention of a we'll
known gentleman prevented a gang of
Albany hoboes from cutting Buttons
career short last summer.
1t is more than a score of years since
Buttons" first made his appearance at
Garrison's. Nobody knew when he came,
and he has not since given any inkling
of his past history. He hung around the
railroad station for several days picking
up a meal wherever he could find it. Then
he begged his way across the ferry to
West Point, but a police sergeant cap
tured him al the landing, and like an
undesirable emigrant, the boat that took
him over had to give him free ride back
1t was then that he decided that the rich
should support him, and they have so ever
since.
The Sloanes, then as now, occupied one
of the finest country seats along the Hud-
son and Buttons" made his first call on
the railroad president. He got a good
breakfast, and went for dinner to Hamil-
ton Fish's. John M. Toucey lived in eie-
giant style on the hill opposite, and TO him
Buttons" applied for supper. Three
square meals all in one day were too
much for Madison's tight-ftting gar
ments, so when he ambed down to the
village that night every button on his
clothes had been burst off, and John DON
oboe who was elected sheriff of Putnam
county last fall chrstened the tramp
BUTTONS" Since that time Madison has
used safety pins, so that when he feasts
eXtravagantly he just lets them out a bit
and feels comfortable.
Buttons" soon discovered that change
OF air and boarding houses was not only
conducive to good digestion, but it made
his greeting more agreeable not to call at
the same house too often. This was why
he started North and made the acquaint-
ance of II. c. de Rham and Capt Metcalf
at Cold Spring, where he usually dined.
His next meal would be with c. H. Van
Amburgh, and his supper was sure to be
supplied by either f. Brockway or Mrs.
Watrous, above .Fishkin
AFTER a good nights sleep, Buttons"
resumed his tramp, and before entering
New Hamburg, sampled the larders of
X. w. Rives and w. r. Sands. Between
New Hamburg and Poughkeepsie, But
tons" invariably had meals with Mr.. Grin
nell Mr., Colgate, Mrs. Banks, Mrs. Ger
ard, Mr.. Bull and Mr. Denslow
1t is between Poughkeepsie and Rhine
cliff, however, that Buttons" feasts on
the fat of the land He calls at the Me-
Phersons, the Winslows the Roosevelts',
Archibald Rogers, N. f. Rogers. the Sex
tons, Rymphs', Fords', De Wits, Living
stons, Hcyts', Loundeses, Holidays.
Fincks and is sure to stay at least one
day around Levi z. Morton's kitchen, at
Rhnecliff
Buttons" never forgets to make a social
call upon Jacob Rupert, at Staatsburgh.
and on more than one occasion has done
Justice to the Vanderbilt larder, at HYDE
Park. 1T Is at Rhinebeck, however. that
Buttons feels more at home. There the
Astor homestead is wide open all the year
round, and Buttons" stays near the
Kitchen for week before he starts on his
return trip. Winter and summer. But
tons" makes his calls with the regularity
of pendulum, and he has the proud dis
tinction of eating at more millionaires'
houses than anybody else in the country.