of the
carcass through the bone. He lifted the hypodermic, half hopelessly,
half expectantly. The old woman watched him, as she had done many times
before, with always the same pitiful expression. Pitiful, either for the
man himself or for the dead rat. Mag Nesia seldom expressed her views.
Inserting the hypodermic needle and injecting the contents of the
syringe, Professor Carbonic stepped back.
_Prof. Carbonic Makes a Great Discovery_
"Great Saints!" His voice could have been heard a mile. Slowly the rat's
tail began to point skyward; and as slowly Mag Nesia began to turn
white. Professor Carbonic stood as paralyzed. The rat trembled and moved
his feet. The man of sixty years made one jump with the alacrity of a
boy of sixteen, he grabbed the enlivened animal, and held it high above
his head as he jumped about the room.
Spying the servant, who until now had seemed unable to move, he threw
both arms around her, bringing the rat close to her face. Around the
laboratory they danced to the tune of the woman's shrieks. The professor
held on, and the woman yelled. Up and down spasmodically on the
laboratory floor came the two hundred and ninety pounds with the
professor thrown in.
Bottles tumbled from the shelves. Furniture was upset. Precious liquids
flowed unrestrained and unnoticed. Finally the professor dropped with
exhaustion and the rat and Mag Nesia made a dash for freedom.
Early in the morning pedestrians on Arlington Avenue were attracted by a
sign in brilliant letters.
Professor Carbonic early in the morning betook himself to the nearest
hardware store and purchased the tools necessary for his new profession.
He was an M.D. and his recently acquired knowledge put him in a position
to startle the world. Having procured what he needed he returned home.
* * * * *
Things were developing fast. Mag Nesia met him at the door and told him
that Sally Soda, who was known to the neighborhood as Sal or Sal Soda
generally, had fallen down two flights of stairs, and to use her own
words was "Putty bad." Sal Soda's mother, in sending for a doctor, had
read the elaborate sign of the new enemy of death, and begged that he
come to see Sal as soon as he returned.
Bidding Mag Nesia to accompany him, he went to the laboratory and
secured his precious preparation. Professor Carbonic and the unwilling
Mag Nesia started out to put new life into a little Sal Soda who lived
in the same
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