A great thread -- thanks to those who contributed.
I recently heard a story from a reliable source that Sousa asked Fred Gilbert for shooting lessons. Any of you trap historians know of this? Is it "old hat" or something that's become part of Gilbert family lore?
I have a former colleague, a DMA whose dissertation was on Sousa, that I've been trying to contact recently. We used to discuss the Sousa grade Ithacas. (Believe me, there were not too many discussions of shotguns going on in the academic hallways at that time.)
I'm now looking for the Murphy/Breeden article and other good suggestions from this thread. Thanks again. I enjoy learning from all of you.
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"Doubtless the good Lord could have made a better game bird than bobwhite, and better country to hunt him in...but equally doubtless, he never did." -- Guy de la Valdene (from A Handful of Feathers )
"'I promise you,' he said, 'on my word of honor, I won't die on the opening of the bird season.'" -- Robert Ruark (from The Old Man and the Boy)
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