e into the village without
any danger.

"Not two thousand dollars!" said Mrs. Bell.

"Yes," said Mary Erskine, "if I have calculated it right."

"Why, how much do you think the farm and stock will sell for?" asked
Mrs. Bell.

"About eight hundred dollars," said Mary Erskine. "That put out at
interest will double in about twelve years."

"Very well," rejoined Mrs. Bell, "but that makes only sixteen hundred
dollars."

"But then I think that I can lay up half a dollar a week of my own
earnings, especially when Bella gets a little bigger so as to help me
about the house," said Mary Erskine.

"Well;" said Mrs. Bell.

"That," continued Mary Erskine, "will be twenty-five dollars a year.
Which will be at least three hundred dollars in twelve years."

"Very well," said Mrs. Bell, "that makes nineteen hundred."

"Then," continued Mary Erskine, "I thought that at the end of the
twelve years I should be able to sell this house and the land around
it for a hundred dollars, especially if I take good care of the
buildings in the mean while."

"And that makes your two thousand dollars," said Mrs. Bell.

"Yes," replied Mary Erskine.

"But suppose you are sick."

"Oh, if I am sick, or if I die," rejoined Mary Erskine, "of course
that breaks up all my plans. I know I can't plan against calamities."

"Well," said Mrs. Bell, rising from her seat with a smile of
satisfaction upon her countenance, "I can't advise you. But if ever I
get into any serious trouble, I shall come to you to advise me."

So bidding Mary Erskine good-bye, Mrs. Bell called her daughter, and
they went together toward their home.

CHAPTER IX.

GOOD MANAGEMENT.

Whenever any person dies, leaving property to be divided among
his heirs, and not leaving any valid will to determine the mode of
division, the property as has already been said, must be divided on
certain principles, established by the law of the land, and under
the direction of the Judge of Probate, who has jurisdiction over
the county in which the property is situated. The Judge of Probate
appoints a person to take charge of the property and divide it among
the heirs. This person is called the administrator, or, if a
woman, the administratrix. The Judge gives the administrator or the
administratrix a paper, which authorises him or her to take charge of
the property, which paper is called, "Letters of Administration."
The letters of administration are usually granted to the wife