Russell’s “paper talk,” or illustrated letters, gave free rein to his verbal and visual talent. Although putting words on paper came hard to him, he possessed a natural gift as a storyteller, along with the ability to summarize the key elements of a story or description in a well-chosen illustration. Surviving rough drafts of a few Russell letters—as well as preliminary sketches for the illustrations—indicate that he planned some of them in advance. Early in 1919, Guy Weadick produced the second Calgary Stampede, the “Victory Stampede” celebrating the end of the First World War. Russell contributed a color sketch that became the stampede’s letterhead and another for the front of a leaflet urging the public to attend Calgary’s “peerless presentation of the Pioneers Past.” Weadick organized a massive promotional campaign for the show, and when it opened on August 25 everyone recognized it as a major event for the city. The Russells attended as special guests, and a free exhibition of the artist’s work was held on the stampede grounds. From this point on, the Calgary Stampede would become an annual event, and it still exists today.