Mine á Burton April 10th 1825.

My Dear Brother—

I received your short epistle some time since giving me the pleasing news of your safe arrival at home I had become extremely anxious for you, the letters that you wrote from the diferant towns on the River, for some cause or other were a great while coming to hand I received a letter from My Dear Stephen dated in December which gave me much more satisfaction, and pleasure, than the one received by Mr. Hale in his last he appears to be reconciled and pleased with my choice of a companion; and I have not the least doubt but when he comes to know Mr. Perry better that he will approve of my choice still more

Your friends are all well, as far as I know. Uncle Austin's family still remain as they were when you left this, nothing is done towards closing the estate Moses lives at the place, and has the four boys with him, and Eliza the girls, Margaret has never return'd to live with Mrs. S. Perry neather do I know weather they intend to let her, poor Girls through the foolish pride of their elder sister they are prevented from receiving many advantages that they other wise would have— William has got into some kind of business in Georga that brings him in three hundred Dollars a year—and is not expected in this country for two or three years— Cousin Adeline was married on the 23rd of December and commenced house keeping in a short time after, in the house that Lewis had his office; Mrs. Henry Elliot has established herself at this place and has a very good school; and I hope will be much more fortunate than she was at St. Louis— I expect a visit from Mrs. Carr in June, she has had a very long and seviar fit of illness, which come very near terminating her valuable life—

I hope my Dearest James you will exert your self to try and perswaid our Dear Brother to visit this Country; you know very well how necessary it is for him to come on, and their is but one thing that I know of to prevent him, and your exertions aded to his own I am sure would overcome that difficulty, for I well know that Stephen will never visit Missouri untill he has it in his power to sattisfy every clame that is against him, and I trust it will not be long before he will be able to realize as much Money as will set him clear of the world, and have something considerable to compensate him for all the fatigue boath of body and mine, that he has suffered for the Last six years. O it will be a most joyful period to me, when I shall have the pleasure of embracing my dear Brother, the companion of my Youth, and presenting to him my Young and Growing Family, I still flatter my self that I shall yet live to enjoy many happy days [in the] society of my Brothers, and perhaps be a neig[hbor] Mr. Perry wrote a very long letter to Stephen [sometime] since, which I hope will come safe to hand,—I was pleased, and provoked my dear Brown at [your] letter or note, you must have been very [much pressed] for time; for you did not write more than a doz[en Lines] you certainly could not of been at a loss, for [material] when writing to your Sister who feels the [greatest] interest in every thing that concerns you; pr[ay] take on all the things that you started with, or did - - - safe, I am fearful that you lost some of your clothes [you] left one of your new shirts at Elias Bates; which [I will] send on to you by Esq. Andrews, who expects to [go in the] Faul, he has sold his farm for five hundred Dollars— The Children are all well, and often taulk of you Austin pro- gress[es] very well at school, they say that [you must] keep their poneys for them;—for that they intend [going] as soon as Uncle Stephen or Brown gits Married— My Dearest Brother I beg of you to write [often] you cannot conceive the pleasure Mr. Perry [and I] feals when ever we receive letters from you. [Be assur]ed that they shall be punctually answered ea[ther by him] or myself, Mr. Perry joins with me and the Children in [praying for] the health happiness and prosperity of your self and Stephen; I [hope you will] not forgit to send Mrs. John Perry the Seeds you promised her, she has [gone to] Orleas, for a short time—

Your Affectionate Sister, Emily

Col. Stephen F Austin [for J. E. B. Austin] San Felipe de Austin Rio Brazos, Province of Texas To the care of Jared Cable EsqNatchitoches Louisianna