as many as you pleased,
only they should all be alike.

[Illustration]

Elizabeth Eliza felt it would be a great convenience,--they could keep
the front door always locked, yet she could open it with the key of
her upper drawer; that she was sure to have with her. And Mrs.
Peterkin felt it might be a convenience if they had one on each story,
so that they need not go up and down for it.

Mr. Peterkin studied all the papers and advertisements, to decide
about the lawyer whom they should consult, and at last, one morning,
they went into town to visit a patent-agent.

Elizabeth Eliza took the occasion to make a call upon the lady from
Philadelphia, but she came back hurriedly to her mother.

"I have had a delightful call," she said; "but--perhaps I was wrong--I
could not help, in conversation, speaking of Agamemnon's proposed
patent. I ought not to have mentioned it, as such things are kept
profound secrets; they say women always do tell things; I suppose that
is the reason."

"But where is the harm?" asked Mrs. Peterkin. "I'm sure you can trust
the lady from Philadelphia."

Elizabeth Eliza then explained that the lady from Philadelphia had
questioned the plan a little when it was told her, and had suggested
that "if everybody had the same key there would be no particular use
in a lock."

[Illustration]

"Did you explain to her," said Mrs. Peterkin, "that we were not all to
have the same keys?"

"I couldn't quite understand her," said Elizabeth Eliza, "but she
seemed to think that burglars and other people might come in if the
keys were the same."

"Agamemnon would not sell his patent to burglars!" said Mrs. Peterkin,
indignantly.

"But about other people," said Elizabeth Eliza; "there is my upper
drawer; the little boys might open it at Christmas-time,--and their
presents in it!"

"And I am not sure that I could trust Amanda," said Mrs. Peterkin,
considering.

Both she and Elizabeth Eliza felt that Mr. Peterkin ought to know what
the lady from Philadelphia had suggested. Elizabeth Eliza then
proposed going into town, but it would take so long she might not
reach them in time. A telegram would be better, and she ventured to
suggest using the Telegraph Alarm.

[Illustration]

For, on moving into their new house, they had discovered it was
provided with all the modern improvements. This had been a
disappointment to Mrs. Peterkin, for she was afraid of them, since
their experience the last winter, whe