13 AUGUST 1898, Page 16

A CAT-STORY.

[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR."1

SIR,—Possibly you may think the following worthy of its, forerunners. The hero is a busby-tailed tabby of Persian extraction. Its home is a mile and a quarter from Parkstone,, in a suburb of Poole. Last November puss's human relatives, before going up to town, brought him over to me in a hamper and by train, Poole Station being the other side of Seldown as regards this place. The cat was fed and kindly treated. during the evening. At night it slept in our kitchen, but. when the door was opened in the morning out rushed the cat, and we saw it no more. This house is situated on the skirts. of the Sandicotes Woods. About three weeks ago a neighbour- went to the Seldown house to inquire if a cat, which some one- had brought, was the lost one. Its mistress felt no doubt upon the subject, but to make sure puss was taken into the room. where his favourite chair was installed, and, in a moment, he jumped up, curled himself round, and appeared to be in a per- fect state of happiness. Now, where can behave passed those• eight months P Had any one taken him in P If so, why did he not run away again ? One of his fore-feet is injured a little,. which suggests a trap ; but as there is no game hereabouts,. why should there be traps P May not the fact be, that

be wandered about the woods, living on the produce of the chase (birds and mice), and gradually working back towards Poole, found himself in his old haunts in the park, and then easily discovered his old home near by P But if this be so, how one would like a diary of those eight months' wanderings.—I am, Sir, &c.,