Is there anyway to test one or two scripts with mod_perl before I take the complete leap?

Can't test it to verify at the moment, but maybe this is what your looking for:

<Files test_script.pl>
        SetHandler perl-script
        PerlHandler Apache::PerlRun
        Options ExecCGI
        PerlSendHeader On
        allow from all
</File>
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-- O thievish Night, Why should'st thou, but for some felonious end, In thy dark lantern thus close up the stars? --Milton