Reminiscences of John H. Charles. 57 



to small talk. Though it was hard for him to get away 

 from the subject of evolution, I do not remember that 

 he spoke a single time while here concerning his own 

 gTeat part in the working out of the evolutionary hypo- 

 thesis. 



Wallace's outdoor habits clung to him while he was 

 here. He spent several days in the woods. I remember 

 that he was greatly interested in the grasses on the 

 Talbot farm and in the drift deposits along the Big Sioux. 



EARIiY POIilTICIANS. 



In the fall of 1859 Saml. J. Kirkwood, republican 

 candidate for governor, and A. C. Dodge, democratic 

 candidate for the same office held a joint debate in Sioux 

 City. I met and became acquainted with both gentle- 

 men. Abe White and I went down below Sergeant's 

 Bluff and met Kirkwood, who drove in, and brought him 

 back to Sioux City. Dodge came in a little later on the 

 stage from Council Bluffs. 



Kirkwood was a farmer, and looked it. He wore 

 course shoes, no stockings and flannel shirt. But though 

 he was simple and plain he was also honest and straight- 

 forward, and so impressed people. He took well here. 

 Though he didn't carry the town, because of the big 

 democratic majority here in those days, he succeeded in 

 reducing that majority considerably. He was elected 

 governor. 



Dodge was the son of a United States Senator from 

 Wisconsin. He, himself, was one of low^a's two first sen- 

 ators. He became a United States Senator when Iowa 

 became a state, in 1846. He was re-elected once. Then 

 he was succeeded by James Harlan, a republican. He 

 was nominated by his party for governor in 1859. It 

 was thought that his services to Iowa in W^ashington, 

 D. C, both before and after the state was admitted 

 would elect him governor, but they didn't. He was just 

 the opposite kind of a man from Kirkwood. He was 

 very dressy, with his patent leather boots, white shirt 

 and starched collars. In fact, he was quite a gentleman 

 and aristocrat. He was a. good man, however, and smart. 

 In speaking he was earnest, but a little rhetorical. He 



