because his stock was gone but more because he
couldn't think of another thing to turn his hand to.

"Well, he got through the winter some way and then, while he was
sitting in the train one day coming home, he overheard two men talking
about turtles going up. Must have been two hotel men. Anyway, that
gave Sam an idea and he started right in wading through Petersen's
slough for turtles. Why, he pulled up barrels of them, and would you
believe it, they sold in the city for real money! Sam went
crazy--about as crazy as Mary Hagley got over her luck. And then along
came rheumatism and knocked Sam flat, just when he was doing so well.
Everybody said it was just poor Sam's luck. So there was Sam sick
abed, thinking about those turtles moving off somewheres else maybe, or
somebody else getting rich on them.

"And all the time he lay in bed groaning Sam's wife went around the
house doing the same. Only her trouble wasn't turtles but corsets.
Seems like Sam always promised Dudy that if he made any money she was
to have plenty to spend. Well, he treated her mighty handsome about
that turtle money. Dudy had the sense to take all he gave her and she
vowed that for once in her life she'd get herself a corset that was
comfortable.

"Well, Nanny, heavens only knows how many brands she tried but none of
them seemed built for her. Some pinched her here and others squeezed
her there and she was as full of misery as Sam was of rheumatism. Sam
finally took notice and just to keep his mind off his own troubles he
got to watching her suffering for breath and a nice shape.

"Now you know Sam's always thought the world of Dudy. So one day, when
she was getting ready to go to the Civic League meeting to read a paper
on the best ways of getting rid of flies and nearly crying because she
couldn't get herself to look right, Sam said, half joking, 'By gum,
Dudy, I'll _make_ you a corset that will fit you.'

"Well, sir, the thing stuck in his mind and grew and grew, and heavens
to Betsey, if Sam didn't really make a corset, even helping Dudy with
some of the sewing.

"Dudy wore it and took everybody's breath away, she looked so nice and
could breathe without puffing and laugh as much as she pleased. The
women got to talking about it and mentioned it to Mrs. Brownlee. And
mind you, Mrs. Brownlee went to Sam and asked him had he patented the
thing. And when he said no she went to a woman lawyer friend of hers
and she got Sam a