The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1881-05-12
Vancouver Independent
OFFICIAL PAPER OF CRY AND COUNTY.
Vancouver, Clarke County, Washington
Territory.
THE KING AND HIS DOUBLE.

the peasants were as slaves to the princes
who made the poor people work without
pay. None of them were allowed to have
a house with more than one story, or to
have it even whitewashed, foored, or
have windows in it without the royal
permission, and it was crime for
any one except the princes or the king
10 have chairs with backs to them.
What happened at the time spoken of
was this. The family of Bakmigaha-ul-
patagama Sewama, who was poor Ia
borer in spite of his long name, was in
grief because King Yasalalaka Tisso had
said that all masons should help build
some new buildings at Anuradhapura,
and Sewama, as he will be called for
short, was q skillful and ingenious ma.
son. Sewama and his family were in
grief because he was poor, and if he had
to work for the king he knew that the
kings officers would treat him like dog,
that he would lose the crop which he had
sown, that he would get no money, and
that his wife and little baby would have
nothing to eat unless he provided for
them. Naturally Sewama was very
sorry especially since he knew that if he
had little money he could bride the
kings officers to let him stay at home.
But he had no money so one bright morn
ing in January he started for the royal
town Anuradhapura, just as the rising
sun made the SUBMITS of the hills of
Kurunegala rosy with light.
1t was the next day at twilight when
Sewama reached the royal town, and he
could but dimly see the pillared temples
and cells for the innumerable yellow
robed priests who swarmed in all direc-
tons. The beautifully paved pokumas,
or bathing pools, with their flights of
broad stone steps and carved balustrades,
the famous Brazen palace, and the tenn
pie of the sacred bo-tree hard by showed
their glories but dimly in the waning
light. To one used all his life to the
quiet of small village the fitting
lights, the gayly clad Chiefs and officers,
the numerous elephants with their gaudy
trappings, the ceaseless sound of bells,
tomtoms and pipes, the drum of the
devil dancer, and the shout of ''Sadhu"
raised by the worshipers of Buddha were
very bewildering, and Sewama felt half
dazed and intoxicated with the unwonted
sights and sounds.
As he was gazing abont, runaway
elephant came charging down the street.
Every one ran to get out of his way and
Sewama ran with them. One man, how
ever, fell Just in the path of the mad
dened animal and would surely have
been killed if Sewama had not run out
and dragged him away just from under
the elephants feet. The rescued man
thanked Sewama and told him that if he
ever needed assistance in time of trouble
TO ask at court for Subho. the kings
porter. After mutual salutations they
parted, and Sewama went his way to get
q lodging for the night. The next day
be went to work and ior long time
toiled hard under cruel taskmasters and
very rarely had holiday or any pleas
ure at all, for he constantly thought of
his poor wife and child. All this time
he saw nothing of Subho. the kings por-
ter, though he heard that he was rather
favorite with the king, whom he re-
sembled so much in person and feature
that it was said that they sometimes
changed clothes in order that the king,
disguised as porter, might hear what was
said of himself, but Sewama was too full
of troubles to give much heed to such
gossip.
At length. one day after Sewama had
been frightfully beaten and abused by
an ill-natured overseer, he was going
home, bitterly denouncing the king.
Unfortunately the overseer heard him
and ordered him to be imprisoned and
afterward to be impaled on an ironwood
take, the regular punishment for de-
nouncing or abusing the king. AS he
was carried along past the palace gate
he thought of Subho, the porter.
Scarcely had this thought crossed his
mind when the porter stepped forth and
asked what was the matter. Sewama with
clasped hands entreated HIM for help,
and reminded him of the adventure with
the Infatuated elephant. The porter,
however, in q cool and laughing manner,
turned and asked those who had Sewama
in custody what offence he was charged
with, and on being informed that he had
roundly abused the king, said that he
richly deserved the punishment that was
reserved for such as he.
Poor Sewama became nearly distracted
at this, thinking that he would never see
his wife and child again and that they
would live miserably and in ignorance
os his fate. Meantime he was hurried
along and thrown into small and moi
some cell. After he had been therea
little while he heard noise, and in look
ing through hole in his door, he was
not little surprised to see the porter
to whom he had so lately vain1y APP
paa1e1 for assi moo oorr;o1 forcihl -