"The following, O all highest, still work--the beggars,
the poets, the missionaries, the Salvation Army, and the
instructors of the Youths of Light in the American
Presbyterian College."

"But, dear me, Abdul," I exclaimed, "surely this situation
is desperate? What can your nation subsist on in such a
situation?"

"Pooh, pooh," said the Sultan. "The interest on our debt
alone is two billion a year. Everybody in Turkey, great
or small, holds bonds to some extent. At the worst they
can all live fairly well on the interest. This is finance,
is it not, Toomuch Koffi?"

"The very best and latest," said the aged man with a
profound salaam.

"But what steps are you taking," I asked, "to remedy your
labour troubles?"

"We are appointing commissions," said Abdul. "We appoint
one for each new labour problem. How many yesterday,
Toomuch?"

"Forty-three," answered the secretary.

"That's below our average, is it not?" said Abdul a little
anxiously. "Try to keep it up to fifty if you can."