National Soldiers Hospital,
Danville, Illinois.
July 2nd-1928.
To:
Mrs. Nancy C. Russell,
and
Ray I. Moon.
Dear, dear friends:
The package of charley’s[sic] pictures came to my hand
this morning----and unblushingly I bawled over them; they
took me back so far into the atmosphere of God’s own land
that I could smell sweet sage, and wood-smoke of a cow-camp,
fire.
I was in the Soldiers Hospital in Milwaukee Wisconsin,
the Fall Charley passed on, and when I read the account, it
hit me so hard that I put a sheet of paper in the machine, and
wrote:
IN LOVING MEMORY OF CHARLEY RUSSELL.
Cowboy Artist of Great Falls Montana.
Well old pal yuh’ve tuk th’ [sic] one-way trail;
An’ I know yuh tuk it with a smile:
‘Cause th’ trail yuh leave behind yuh boy,
Rays sunshine---every mile.
Yuh always give th’ best yuh had--
An yuh give it with a will,
An’ as yuh ride this last long trail--
I know yuh’ll give it still.
Yuh always was a pal our’n
In shunshine[sic] er in rain----
An’ when th’ Last Big Round-up comes—
I hope we meet again.
------Bill Meyers,
[next]
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I sent it out to several magazines and they did me the honor
of printing it; and to the original wish may I add:
God bless you both, my dear friends---and when the Last
big circle comes---may we all ride it together.
Most sincerely yours.
[signed] Bill Meyers