E-text prepared by David Clarke, Mary Meehan,
and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team
(/)
At the Seaside.
Troublesome Comforts
A Story for Children
By GERALDINE ROBERTSON GLASGOW
THOMAS NELSON AND SONS
LONDON, EDINBURGH
DUBLIN, AND
NEW YORK
Contents
CHAPTER I.
CHAPTER II.
CHAPTER III.
CHAPTER IV.
CHAPTER V.
CHAPTER VI.
CHAPTER VII.
CHAPTER VIII.
CHAPTER IX.
CHAPTER X.
CHAPTER XI.
CHAPTER XII.
CHAPTER XIII.
TROUBLESOME COMFORTS.
CHAPTER I.
Mrs. Beauchamp sat in a stuffy third-class carriage at Liverpool StreetStation, and looked wistfully out of the window at her husband. Behindher the carriage seemed full to overflowing with children and paperparcels, and miscellaneous packages held together by straps. Even theticket collector failed in his mental arithmetic when nurse confrontedhim with the tickets.
"There's five halfs and two wholes," she said, "and a dog and a bicycle."
"All right, madam," he said politely, "but I don't see the halfs."
"There's Miss Susie, and Master Dick, and Miss Amy," began nursedistractedly, "and the child in my arms; and now there's Master Tommydisappeared."
"He's under the seat," said Dick solemnly.
"Come out, Tom," said his father, "and don't be such an ass."
Tom crawled out, a mass of dust and grime, not in the least disconcerted.
"I thought I could travel under the seat if I liked," he said.
"Oh, if you like!" said his father; but nurse, with a look of despair,caught at his knickerbockers just as he was plunging into the dust again."Not whilst I have power to hold you back, Master Dick," she said.—"No,sir, you haven't got the washing of him, and wild horses won't be equalto it if he gets his way."
"Well, keep still, Tommy," said his father.
Tommy squirmed and wriggled, but nurse's hand was muscular, and thestrength of despair was in her grip. Mrs. Beauchamp realized that in afew minutes the keeping in order of the turbulent crew would fall to her,but for the present she tried to shut her ears to Susie's domineeringtones and Tommy's scornful answers. Susie always chose the mostunsuitable moments for displays of temper, and Mrs. Beauchamp sighed asshe looked at the firm little mouth and eager blue eyes. She felt sovery, very sorry to be leaving Dick the elder in London—so intolerablyselfish. Her voice was full of tender regret.
"It seems so horrid of me, Dick. It is you who o