I
FROM CONCORD TO SYRIA
WHAT have I brought with me from
the Paradise of the New World, you
ask. What have I gained in the country of
gold and iron, of freedom and trusts? How
much have I accumulated in the land of
plenty and profusion—how big a draft do
I present at the Imperial Ottoman Bank?
Ah, yes. These are pertinent questions,
my neighbor. I went to America with a
lean purse; I came back, alas, not purseful
but purseless. Do not conclude from this,
however, that I am poor. On the contrary.
I deposit in many banks, including the
Bank of Wisdom; and my credit is good
in many kingdoms, including the Kingdom
of the Soul. And of a truth, the more I
draw on my accounts, no matter how big
the sum, the bigger my balance becomes.
This is, indeed, a miracle of the Soul—a
paradox not defined or described in the
illustrated catalogues of market-men.
"His best companions, innocense and health; And his best riches, ignorance of wealth."
[101]
