[handwritten] [1] 27 Lorraine Apt. Calgary My dear Mrs. Russell We were very much interested in your letter of Sept. 30th – and after a great deal of consideration we have decided that we should sell two of our pictures – “Carson’s Men” – and the “Indian Burial” There are several reasons for this, we have not had (next) [2] Them with us to enjoy for several years – because we have not had a good enough building to house them safely, for the last three years we have been in Calgary living in apartments not large enough or there seemed always so much a danger of fire – and now that they have become so valuable we feel that we cannot afford to keep them (next) [3] I do love them and it seems almost a crime to keep such beautiful pictures in obscurity – we feel that they should be in an Art gallery or museum, we have lent them for exhibitions when asked for but there is always a certain amount of worry for them – So we decided to write to you to ask if you have a place to sell them, we are quite willing to pay a good commision [sic] (next) [4] and we believe you will quite understand our position – we have had quite a few enqueres[sic] Mr. Russell’s pictures, but we have never offered ours for Sale – Pirates of the Plains I’ll never part with it has always been my special favorite we hate to part with any of them but we decided it would be best; we would very much appreciate if you would let us know any particulars. Yours very sincerely [signed] Mary Campbell [Transcribed by Lauren B. Gerfen, 2011-11-16]