The finale of Beethoven's Eighth Symphony contains a distinct effect of comedy in the unexpected C sharp, which persistently intrudes itself among other people's keys, until at last it worries the orchestra into accepting it.
— from Studies in Modern Music, Second Series Frederick Chopin, Antonin Dvořák, Johannes Brahms by W. H. (William Henry) Hadow

"Don't keep us any longer in suspense."
— from The Bradys' Chinese Clew; Or, The Secret Dens of Pell Street by Francis Worcester Doughty

He was always ready to fill the jug and play a social game at cards—he only bet, as he said , to keep up a little interest in the game.
— from Pen Pictures, of Eventful Scenes and Struggles of Life by B. F. (Benjamin Franklin) Craig

wantin’ to keep up a leetle innercence?” “Jest so, Sooz’n, but I couldn’t help hearin’ a good deal—somet’ing like dis:— “Says Massa Lawrence, says he, ‘Arternoon, Miss Muchbunks.’
— from The Rover of the Andes: A Tale of Adventure on South America by R. M. (Robert Michael) Ballantyne

By six o'clock his horse was quite knocked up; and leaving it at an inn to be sent after him, he procured another, with which, at the end of about four hours more, he approached the metropolis.
— from Arabella Stuart: A Romance from English History by G. P. R. (George Payne Rainsford) James

In the mean time, the great space on the plain, which had been set apart for the encampment, had been gradually becoming filled up by the arrival of the khans, until at length, in every direction, as far as the eye could reach, the whole plain was covered with groups of tents and long lines of movable houses, brought [Pg 327] on wheels.
— from Genghis Khan, Makers of History Series by Jacob Abbott

We catch one passing glimpse of a curious association known as “Le Bachery”; which was declared by the mayor and commons to be merely a company of citizens who out of pure devotion kept up a light in the chapel of the Blessed Virgin in the Fields (the ancient place for the assembly of the people) and from mere motives of decency had chosen a livery; but in whose pious and decent union the hostile fraternity saw an association fashioned to break the power of S. George, and made haste to use against it the old argument applied to its own youth—the charge of being an “illegal guild.”
— from Town Life in the Fifteenth Century, Volume 2 (of 2) by Alice Stopford Green

Accept him as your husband, my sweet daughter, Don't keep us any longer in hot water.
— from Turandot: The Chinese Sphinx by Friedrich Schiller

Then he produced a box of wax tapers, which he gave to Jeremiah, bidding him to keep up a light, in order that he might have a good view of the jewels.
— from Miser Farebrother: A Novel (vol. 3 of 3) by B. L. (Benjamin Leopold) Farjeon