This hasty wrote Scrall will be handed to my dear Stephen by his
Brother J Brown, his Sudden departure from this Country has kept
me Imployd till the last moment in ordor to fit him of in tolorable
decensey—-I must refer my dear Son, for the particulars of many
things, which I fully intended to Communicate in my letter; but
the late hour of the night, together with my feeble State of health
must diprive me of the pleasure of writing you as fully as I
intended your wellcome letter of the 15 Ultimo I received by Mr
Honey with more Sattisfaction than I am able to Express—I am
truly rejoiced to find your prospects in Texes are So much more
flattering than I had any Idea of and that you will have it in your
power to fulfill the last request of your dear deceased, father their
is no doubt but your little Collony will Soon be filled up with
respectable worthy Characters, this part of the Country is all alive
and nothing Spoken of but the province of Texas Since your
publications in the papers has appeard and I have no doubt but one
third of the population of Missouri will move in the coars of another
year, particularly if H Elliot brings a favourable report when he
returns—I know of Some Characters who talk of joineing your
Establishment on the Collorada who was very Unfriendly to your
Father in his greatest distress and as the old saying is, was allways
ready to give a kick, when theay found he was going down hill and
Such is the ingratitude of Some part of the human famaly—those
very men had received aid and assistance from him when in affluence
—those things my dear Son may be forgiven, in point of duty as a
Christian, but can never be forgot—you will find your Brother
much Improved although he lost much valluable time in K T he
has in a measure got the better of that warmth of temper he f ormily
had, and although he has a high Spirit and very hasty temper, he
has prudence to govern it with reason and propriety, I am much
deceived if you do not find, he is possesed of a Strong and active
mind, capable and willing to encounter Difficulty and danger—I hope
he will be of Service to you my much beloved Son, in the ardurous
Enterprise you have undertaken, I am Sorry time and
circumstances would not admit of our geting a Suit of new Cloaths for B
we had but one weeck to get him ready after he had concluded to go
with H EMr B[ryan] has exerted himself to the utmost to fit
him and two young men, who has been in his imploy for the last
year and I think theay are worthy of your notice, the times are
Still very distressing and our friend J B[ryan] has not got through
his difficultys, but he thinks it will be in his power to make you a
visit this next Spring, when I hope he will make Choice of a
Situation where your Sister will experience more happyniss than She
has Injoyd for Some years past hur disposiftijon is by no means
calculated to bear the disappointments this life is Subject to, She
has three lovely boys and a prospect of Increas, hur little Guy is
the Sweetest Child I ever Saw and is really a Soars of pleasure and
amusement to me in my retirement, however I refer you to your
Brotr respecting the famaly and hasten to conclude, after telling
you this has been the most Sickly Season I have ever known I went
to Herculam, in July to macke arrangements for geting B. home
and with the assistance of E B[ates]—I effected it, he arrived on
the 29 of September, I had injoyd, as good health as usual and the
moast of my time was taken up in nursing the Sick—three days
preavious to our leeving Herm, we was boath taken down with the
fever, and your Brother will tell you how very ill your Mother has
been all the [fall?] Indeed I had at one time given myself up and
fully expected to be laid by the Side of your dr Father—our kind
heavenly Father in his goodness has restored me once more and I
begin to flatter myself I Shall yet In joy much Sattisf action in the
Society of my dear Sons in the mean time I shall endeavour to
macke myself as Contented as the nature of things will admit of if
I was to tell you I was happy I should say what was not true; I
never Shall complain and if you are but Succesfull I shall be
thankful—it tis now past midnight and I fear you will hardly be
able to read this scrall, good night my dear Son may heaven guard
and protect you from every danger, I often feel uneasy in regard
to the hostle Indians—I refer you to B[rown]—for every thing you
wish to know, Emily joins me in affection. She has not time to write
you, god bless you and take you boath under his holy protection is
the constant prayer of your affectionate Mother