e this sleek, fat
puss, looking so wonderfully comfortable in a very uncomfortable
position, the top of the post, on which it was sitting with its feet
doubled up under it, being out of all proportion to its body, for no
Angola ever rivalled it in size.

"'Come on gently,' I called to my friend; 'here's such a magnificent
cat!' for I feared the approach of the phaeton would startle it away
before he had seen it.

"'Where?' said he, pulling up his horse opposite the gate.

"'There,' said I, pointing to the post. 'Isn't he a beauty? I wonder if
it would let me stroke it?'

"'I see no cat,' said he.

"'There on the post,' said I, but he declared he saw nothing, though
puss sat there in perfect composure during this colloquy.

"'Don't you see the cat, James?' said I in great perplexity to the
groom.

"'Yes, ma'am; a large white cat on that post.'

"I thought my friend must be joking, or losing his eyesight, and I
approached the cat, intending to take it in my arms and carry it to the
carriage; but as I drew near she jumped off the post, which was natural
enough, but to my surprise she jumped into nothing--as she jumped she
disappeared! No cat in the field--none in the lane--none in the ditch!

"'Where did she go, James?'

"'I don't know, ma'am. I can't see her,' said the groom, standing up in
his seat and looking all round.

"I was quite bewildered; but still I had no glimmering of the truth; and
when I got into the carriage again my friend said he thought I and James
were dreaming, and I retorted that I thought he must be going blind.

"I had a commission to execute as we passed through the town, and I
alighted for that purpose at the little haberdasher's; and while they
were serving me I mentioned that I had seen a remarkably beautiful cat
sitting on a gate in the lane, and asked if they could tell me who it
belonged to, adding it was the largest cat I ever saw.

"The owners of the shop, and two women who were making purchases,
suspended their proceedings, looked at each other and then looked at me,
evidently very much surprised.

"'Was it a white cat, ma'am?' said the mistress.

"'Yes, a white cat; a beautiful creature and----'

"'Bless me!' cried two or three, 'the lady's seen the white cat of
C----. It hasn't been seen these twenty years.'

"'Master wishes to know if you'll soon be done, ma'am. The pony is
getting restless,' said James.

"Of course I hurried out, and got into the carriage, tellin