Daily inter mountain., 1899-10-09
ARISTOCRATIC TRAMP.

| The most aristocratic tramp in the
United States holds a first mortgage on
F.! the route from Garrisons to Rhinecltf
along the Hudson. says a Fishkill special
| to the New York Times. For more than
, score of years Henry Madison known
to every school boy and girl between
these places as Buttons has journeyed
along the river 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 occasion
where 'knights of the road have taken
umbrage at his high-toned ways, only
the personal intervention of a well known
millionaire prevented a gang of Albany
hobes from cutting Buttons " career
short one summer.
1t is more than a score of wears since
Madison made his first appearance at
Gariisons. Nobody knew whence he
came, and he has not since given any
inkling as to his past history He hung
around the railroad station for several
days, picking up meal whenever and
wherever he could Then he begged his
way across the ferry to West Point, but
a police sergeant captured him at the
landing, and like an undesira BILE emil
grant. the boat that took him over had
to give him a free ride back. 1t was
then that he decided that the rich should
support him, and they have done so ever
since.
The Sloans then, as now, occupied one
of the finest country seats along the
Hudson, and Buttons made his first
call on the expresident of the Delaware
Lackawanna & Western railroad. He
got a good breakfast, and went for dinner
at the house of Hamilton Fish, ex-secre-
tary of state under President Grant.
John NJ. Toucey lived on the hill opposite
and to him Buttons applied for supper.
Three square meals in one day We're too
much for his tight-ftting garments. so
he ambled down to the village that night
and on his way every button on his
clothes had burst off, and Sheriff John p.
Donohue christened the tramp Buttons"
Since that time Madison has used safety
pins, so that when he feasts extravaganza
ly he just lets them out a bit and feels
comfortable.
Buttons" soon discovered that changes
of boarding houses We're not only con-
ducive to good digestion. and it made his
greeting more agreeable not to call so
often at the same place. This is why
he started north and made the acuuaint-
ance of Charles de Rham. Jr.. and Cap
tain Henry Metcalf at Cold Spring, where
he usually dined. His next meal would
De with =. II. van AmDurgm. and his
supper was sure to be supplied by F.,
Brockway, the brick manufacturer of
Fishkill Landing. After good nights
sleep he resumes his travels, and before
entering New Hamburg calls on Reginald
w. Rfves and w. r.. Sands. At New
Hamburg Buttons" invariably has meals
at Mrs. Colgate's. Mrs. Banks, Mrs. Ge-
rard's and the Denslows.
1t is between Poughkeepsie and Rhine
cliff, however. that Buttons" feasts on
the fat of the land. He calls at the Nc
Phersons. the Winslow estate, the Roose-
velts. the Rymphs the Livingstons, and
is sure to stay at least one day around
the kitchen Of Levi P. Morton's house at
Rhinecliff. Buttons never forgets to
make a special call upon Jacob Rupert,
at Staatsburg. and on more than one
occasion he has done justice to the Van
derblt larder at Hyde Park.
It is at Rhinebeck, however, that But
tons feels most 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 Buttons" makes
his call with the regularity of pendu-
lum, and he has the proud distinction of
eating at more millionaire's houses than
else in the country.