Lyddie kicks Mr. Marsden when he tries to kiss her.

Lyddie is a tough girl. She never lets anyone get anything over on her. When Lyddie is at the tavern, she hears a story about a frog in a butter churn. The frog falls in and continues to kick. Lyddie views the story metaphorically, and so does Triphena.

"Ehyeh," Triphena continued. "Some folks are natural born kickers. They can always find a way to turn disaster into butter" (Ch. 4).

Lyddie’s favorite phrase is “we can still hop.” She believes that no matter what happens, she will continue kicking. When she loses her job at the tavern for visiting home, she does not give up. She goes and gets a job in a factory.

Lyddie’s factory job is not without its hazards. Her overseer, Mr. Marsden, is a pig. He often tries to take advantage of the girls in his factory. Lyddie is not going to stand for that, though. She will always kick.

Mr. Marsden has had his attention on Lyddie for a while. Lyddie is made uncomfortable by him, but doesn’t realize his intentions until she gets sick. It is then that he makes his move. He tries to kiss her, and she kicks him.

What made her do it? Illness? Desperation? She'd never know. But she raised her booted foot and stomped her heel down with all her might. He gave a cry, and, dropping his arms, doubled over. It was all the time she needed (Ch. 16).

Lyddie definitely proves that she is the frog in the butter churn. Even sick, she is able to fend off her predatory boss. After she recovers, Lyddie assumes that she has lost her job. Mr. Marsden does indeed have it in for her. When she catches him doing the same thing to Brigid and attacks him again, this time with a bucket, he does get her fired.

Even being dismissed from the factory does not stop Lyddie. Still kicking, she gives Brigid a letter written to Mr. Marsden’s wife and tells her to mail it if she has any trouble. She lets Mr. Marsden know she will not tolerate him going after Brigid.