Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1904-04-15
THE STORY OF A CAT.
The Evolution Of a Domestic Pet Into
Wild Beast.

The first time that | saw "Scotty" he
was surrounded by "A group Of admiring
children on the Vcranda of summer
cottage i'm Maine. The youngsters strol<cd
his fur and pulled his tail, and arranged
and rearranCcd "a blue ribbon on his neck
and the big cat evidently enjoyed it ALL
for, instead Of running away he marched
about with arched back and tail erect
rubbing his sleek sides against the legs Of
his plaYmates.
For a week or two after this often saw
this cat an enormous gray fellow with
black bars, romping good -naturedly with
any member of the household who would
play with him But one day a telegram
came for the man who lived in the cot
tago and he and his family made imme-
diate preparations to leave for the West.
In the general excitement nobody thought
of the cat. until the question. rs pussy
goin too" called attention to the baby
who now appeared with "Scotty" his
head clasped tight to her bosom. and the
rest of his body trailing on the floor. All
the children wanted to take him, Of
course. but their mother and father, real
izing the difficulties in the way Of TAX
ing the cat. decided to leave him. be-
lieving that he was popular enough to be
well looked after by the neighbors And
in this they We're partly right. for as
soon as the house was vacant the big gray
cat found warm welcome at any of the
other cottages he chose to visit. But by
and by the autumn came, and, with it,
chilly days, which drove the cottagers, a
few at "A time. back to the cities. On the
first Of October the last family left the
place, and "Scotty' was alone.
For little while he got along without
hardship. The weather was not very cold
vet. and In a barrel at the back of one of
the houses he found scraps which lasted
for several days. After that he began to
get hungry for the first time in his life.
I 1 sfa1
den to another. hunting for something to
| eat. Now and then he would leap to the
window slls of houses where he had often
| been fed and meou plaintively in hopes
! of gaining admittance.
/ one morning. when he had been with
out food for two days, there came a furry
! of snow and with it a flock OF iuncos
| which alighted in the yard where the
/ scraps had been. "Scotty' was crouching
( close to the back steps when they arrived
and in an instant his whole body took on
an attitude of attention. He was hungry
/ and there was breakfast close before
/ him-if he could only catch It,
silently. he pressed his body closer to
the ground. and slowly as the hand Of "a
7 clock. he moved towards the busy group
/ of slate colorcd birds In his eyes there
was n cruel look which had never been
there before and which became inteusi-
fed as he drew nearer to his prey. At
last he gathered his legs we'll under him.
and leaning forward he sprang forwad as
I though thrown from catapuit. There
was a "whir' OF small wings among the
scattering snow. and fickering Of white
tail-feathcrs as the iuncos flew away
that is. a all but one flew away; 'Scotty'
crouchcd on tho spot where he landed,
switching his tail ansrily from side to
side. and growing ass well as hc could
with his teeth buried i'm the body OF his
victim. In that hour self reliance was
born I'm him No longer did ne urowl