THE ADVENTURES OF PRINCE HEMPSEED. 15

As for the house cat, loved as it was by Prince Hemp-
seed, he did not escape the spite of the wicked Rol. His
name was Coco,
He was an Angora
of the finest species,
black as night, and
with a coat as soft
and silky as that of
abear. His peevish
look; his saffron-
yellow eyes, full of
cunning and mel-
ancholy by turns;
his moustachios,
long, straight, and
fierce as those of
a grenadier, — all
these did not pre-
vent him from. .
being of a very
sociable disposition, and mild in his manners. He was a
polite cat, and knew a great deal of the world. He and
Turnspit were so friendly together, that no one who saw
them could ever again say of a quarrelsome married couple
that “they lived a cat and dog life.” These two poor
creatures were very fond of each other, and always played
together under the table.

No one will ever guess what cruelty Rol was guilty of
towards poor Coco; and I am afraid that you will not
believe me when I tell you. He used to heat the tongs in
the fire, and then catch hold of the paws of the cat with
them ; so that the poor animal always mewed more or less
according to the heat of the tongs. The cunning tyrant
called that ‘‘teaching the cat music;” and indeed Coco’s
mewings did change its tones and notes so as to produce an