The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1910-10-26
SENATOR JONATHAN P. OOLLiVER

| When man, hOnOred ny MS cOun
try, admired by his immediate con
stituency, loved by host of friends
and worshipped in his family. is des
perately i'll, many are the hearts thai
futter and the eyes that moisten; but
when, with steady pace, his doom ap
proaches, there is a degree of pre-
paredness for the final shock.
Above all. when, close upon the an
nouncement of great Improvement
the catastrophe comes without warn
ing, grief is indescribable, except
when the heart is unnaturally hard
ened by the stunning reverse from
hope to despair. Such has been the
recent course of the illness of Sen
ator Jonathan Prentiss Dolliver who
has been compelled to lay down his
armor in the midst of the battle even
when it was not yet noon. He had be-
gun to show signs of physical dis
turbance more than eighteen months
ago and once or twice he was con-
fined to his bed. At the close of the
last congress he announced that he
would take long rest; went to New
Mexico to cecuperate, after several
weeks returned to Iowa and some time
afterward announced before the re-
publican convention that his rest had
restored him and that he was in the
best OF health; but he worked hard in
gathering material and delivered sew
eral protracted speeches.
His illness was not regarded as
serious until about two weeks before
his death, when he contracted heavy
cold and it was feared for a time
that he had pneumonia. AS he did
not improve, he confined himself to
his room and bed; but in short time
he apparently began to recover. Dur
ing the last afternoon he walked in
his garden, seemed normal in ap-
pearance, and conversed with several
persons in the shade of the large tree,
where he had rehearsed many of the
speeches that had made him famous
as an orator. Only little more than
an hour before the husband, the faith
er, and the senator died, he spoke
hopefully of his recovery to a neigh
Dor who called to ask after his health.
About shutdown he retired to his sit
tingroom for the daily consultation
with his physician, who at that time
as before cautioned him about be-
coming too anxious to resume his
work, and asked him how he was feel
ing. He answered.: 81 am really feel
ing better than at any time since my
recent Sickness" adding, with a
smile, But l suppose the wolves will
be set bowling about my successor"
While the physician continued to
count the beats of the senator's heart
aloud, he was interrupted by the
patient with the declara ton that he
was unable to hear his own heart.
w ilSA Tic puy olC1du lldu COuuCCu AOuI
teen beats, he informed the senator,
who replied, THAT is very good, but
the most l have been able to cOunS
was seven.' The examination was
continued; the doctor suddenly no.
ticed that the heart beats had ceased.
He shook his stethoscope, believing
it was defective in some way. Again
applying the instrument, he discov
cred that the heart had entirely
ceased to beat
Senator Dolliver had died without a
struggle and without pain.
His Development.
In the early part of his career he
had to endure what those who are
brought up in riches, pleasure and
voluntary rest would consider equal
to chains and slavery. For little
while he was a schoolmaster in ILL
nois, saving 5000, which he gave to
his mother. In the panic of 1873 it
is stated that his father lost all he
had.
His first important elective position
was the superintendency of schools at
Sandwich, Ill.,, at salary of 500 per
month; but, after consideration, he
and his brother determined to go
further west. He reached FIT. Dodge,
Iowa, without much money. There he
worked for time on the public road
at $3.50 a day. Later he was elected
corporation counsel at salary of 5000
per year.
All this time, however, turned to his
advantage. The great majority of the
population in a comparatively new
region Though Iowa had grown Won
derfully at that time in comparison
with some other states that were
carved out of the wilderness) have to
go through hardships. A majority Of
voters admire, and frequently love,
men who have risen before their eyes;
especially those who have had eX-
neriencaS similar TO their own