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JACK AND THE CHECK BOOK

by

JOHN KENDRICK BANGS

Illustrated by Albert Levering


[Illustration: THE WISH BROUGHT ABOUT THE MOST ASTONISHING RESULTS--See
page 54]







Harper & Brothers
New York and London
1911

Copyright, 1911, by Harper & Brothers




CONTENTS


  CHAP.                                                             PAGE
    I. JACK AND THE CHECK-BOOK                                         1
   II. THE GREAT WISH SYNDICATE                                       36
  III. PUSS, THE PROMOTER                                             74
   IV. THE GOLDEN FLEECE                                             115
    V. THE INVISIBLE CLOAK                                           157
   VI. THE RETURN OF ALADDIN                                         195




ILLUSTRATIONS


  THE WISH BROUGHT ABOUT THE MOST ASTONISHING RESULTS     _Frontispiece_
  THE BEANS SCATTERED IN EVERY DIRECTION                               7
  THE OGRE COLLAPSED IN HIS CHAIR                                     23
  "BLESS YOU, MY CHILDREN!"                                           27
  "A WEEK'S VACATION IN LITTLE OLD NEW YORK"                          31
  WITHIN THE ANCIENT HOUSE SAT THE OWNER, RICHARD WILBRAHAM           39
  "BALLYHACK! LAST STATION----ALL OUT!"                               51
  WILBRAHAM PAID BEFORE LEAVING THE COURT-ROOM                        71
  "I SUPPOSE I COULD SELL YOU, BILL"                                  79
  "TELL 'EM TO TELL MR. BONDIFELLER THAT I AM TOO BUSY TO SEE HIM"    87
  "GOOD-BYE, JACK"                                                    93
  "THE HANDSOMEST TOWER IN THE WORLD"                                 99
  "COULDN'T MAKE IT THREE MILLION, COULD YOU?" SUGGESTED MR. DOBBINS 107
  "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?"                                 121
  "THERE'S THE MONEY, SIR"                                           131
  POOR GASMERILDA SAT WHITE-FACED                                    137
  "I AM YOUR FAIRY GODMOTHER, GASMERILDA"                            141
  "THIS IS THE GREATEST CINCH IN THE HISTORY OF FINANCE"             149
  "DERE ISS SOMEDINGS IN DOT SEADT, ALRETTY YET!"                    169
  "THERE MUST BE SOMETHING THE MATTER WITH MY NERVES"                175
  "HUMPH!" SAID SHE, SCORNFULLY                                      199
  "THIS IS A HALF-PORTION, SIR," SAID <DW71>                          207
  "YOU RUBBED THE LAMP, I BELIEVE?"                                  213
  "WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?" THEY DEMANDED                               231




JACK AND THE CHECK-BOOK




I


Once upon a time a great many years ago there lived a poor woman who,
having invested all her savings in mining shares, was soon brought to
penury and want. She had bought her modest little home and all there was
in it on the instalment plan, and here she was, upon a certain beautiful
morning in late spring, absolutely penniless, and three days off,
staring her in the face, were payments due on the piano, the kitchen
range and even on the house itself. Moreover, the winter had been a
bitter one. Four times had the water-pipes frozen and burst, and a
plumber's bill of appalling magnitude had come in the morning's mail,
with the stern admonition stamped in