The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1898-06-21

@9&8& 8a4
me together was the fact that both o
as already intended to become phyai
clans. I boarded with the village doc
Tor, who sympathized with my ambi.
ton and allowed me Co use his books
freely. JIG became the regular thing
for Tommy TO come TO my room each
evening, and after we had prepared,
more or less conscientiousIy, our les
sons for the next day, we would study
and talk about some subject in a booi
on anatomy Or physiology.
One evening Tommy suddenly re
marked: 81 tell you what it is, Dolly
Dolly was the not wholly acceptable
nickname given me In Centerville-stI
tell you what It is. This reading and
looking at pictures is all very well,
but we've got to get a subject to dis
Sect"
why, Tommie," I gasped, over.
Whelmed at the magnitude of the idea,
I'VE can't get one. There's no one
around here that we could make way
with and it would cost q pile to buy a
subject"
"Well," said Tommy.
"And besides I'm afraid I should
feel squeamish about cutting up a Eel.
low creature at first, you know, and
I'd rather wait until / get into the
medical school,"
''ShucksI' said Tommy. 1.-THE trou.
BILE with you Is that you haven't got
the true scientific spirit"
Such an imputation was humiliating.
and | FASTENED to assure Tommy that
I had lots of it.
mo, you haven't, " said Tommy, ''or
you Wouldn't talk such nonsense. But
you don't get my idea. Lst's dissect a
cat"
"Oh," I said; ''but how shall we
kill it, How would it do to drown itF''
'tIt wouldn't do at all, " said Tommie.
1T would be -disagreeable to feel of and
it wouldn't be pretty to look at. Let's
piEsn It,"
"All right" said 1. "what shall
we pizen IL With3"
'strychnine," said Tommy. ''It1l
kill it so quick it won't know it. You
get the strychnine and I'll get the cat.
That's fair. Wen go over to the Floral
hall at the fair grounds tomorrow
afternoon, where it will be nice and
quiet"
"AM right" I said.
"And be sure you have y IT scaIpel
sharp" said Tommy. ''scalpel" was
the professional name which Tommy
and I bestowed npon our pocket
knives.
The next day was Saturday and
there was no school. During the fore
noon I stopped into the village drug
store There happened to be no one pres
emit but the clerk, Lemuel Bangs. AS
I was feeling rather serious over the
coming feline tragedy, I should have
preferred to deal with the proprietor,
who had less Of levity in his compost
ton. However, / stepped to the oun
ter.
San ounce Of strychnine, il you
please" said /.
whats that, young mana" said
Lemuel. Say it again, won't you9"
San ounce of strychnine, " repeated
rather sharply.
my boy" said Lsmuel, "what do
you want an ounce of s~trychnine forl"
"I believe that is my own affair."" I
said with dignity.
But do you know what strychine
isQ Do you imagine you are asking
for some kind of confectionery for
your best girlH"
"IknoW all about stry chnine " I said.
s'PIease be quick"
"Doyou know, Dolly, he continued,
''that strychnine ia q deadly poison9
Did you know that q single grain of it
put on your tongue would kill a dog2"
"Fiddlesticksl" I said; "why can't
you let me have it without so much
nonsense. / only want it for a scientific
purpose"
"Oh, is that itH Why didn't you
say so In the first place2 Going to
poison rats9"
Perhaps"
Lemuel disappeared in the labratory,
and presently returned with a package
which he tossed upon the counter. 1t
was labeled with the skull and cross
bones, and the word poison" in heavy
type.
At one CLOCK I was at Mr.. Bigbee's
gate, where I found Tommy waiting.
"Have you got the strychninef' he
whispered.
.kVnn Hnun unn GOT the nat9D