diff --git a/README.org b/README.org
index f5cb2dc..c9309de 100644
--- a/README.org
+++ b/README.org
@@ -6,16 +6,17 @@ the composition of more primitive operations.
 #+BEGIN_SRC lisp
   DATA-LENS> (funcall (on (compress-runs :collector 'combine-matching-lists)
                           (alexandria:compose 
-                           (over (juxt (element 0)
-                                       'identity))
-                           (sorted 'string<)))
-                      '("January"   "February" "March"    "April"
-                        "May"       "June"     "July"     "August"
-                        "September" "October"  "November" "December"))
-  #| ==> ((#\A "April" "August") 
+                           (over (data-lens:juxt
+                                  (data-lens:element 0)
+                                  'identity))
+                           (sorted 'char< :key (element 0))))
+                      '("January" "February" "March" "April"
+                        "May" "June" "July" "August"
+                        "September" "October" "November" "December"))
+  #| ==> ((#\A "April" "August")
           (#\D "December")
           (#\F "February")
-          (#\J "January" "July" "June")
+          (#\J "January" "June" "July")
           (#\M "March" "May")
           (#\N "November")
           (#\O "October")
diff --git a/lens.lisp b/lens.lisp
index 46c4989..5408abd 100644
--- a/lens.lisp
+++ b/lens.lisp
@@ -52,15 +52,18 @@
         acc
         (cons next acc))))
 
+(defun matching-list-reducer (test acc next)
+  (if (and acc
+           (funcall test (caar acc) (car next)))
+      (cons (cons (caar acc)
+                  (append (cdar acc)
+                          (cdr next)))
+            (cdr acc))
+      (cons next acc)))
+
 (defun combine-matching-lists (&key (test 'eql) &allow-other-keys)
   (lambda (acc next)
-    (if (and acc
-             (funcall test (caar acc) (car next)))
-        (cons (cons (caar acc)
-                    (append (cdar acc)
-                            (cdr next)))
-              (cdr acc))
-        (cons next acc))))
+    (matching-list-reducer test acc next)))
 
 (defun-ct compress-runs (&key (collector 'cons-new) (test 'eql) (key 'identity))
   (lambda (it)
@@ -72,7 +75,7 @@
 (defun-ct sorted (comparator &rest r &key key)
   (declare (ignore key))
   (lambda (it)
-    (apply #'sort (copy-seq it) comparator r)))
+    (apply #'stable-sort (copy-seq it) comparator r)))
 
 (defun-ct element (num)
   (lambda (it)