The Ouachita Telegraph - Mrs. P. H. Parham Dies in Fire Date: May 2000 Submitted by: Lora Peppers ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** *********************************************** The Ouachita Telegraph Saturday, September 6, 1873 Page 2, Column 2 FRANKLIN. [From the Sun, 22d,] DISTRESSING CALAMITY. — On the night of last Saturday week, Mrs. P.H. Parham, living in Richland parish near Big Creek, the line of this parish, upon the eve of retiring to bed, and expecting her husband, who had been for some days absent on business, home during the night, concluded to leave the lamp burning for him, and finding the oil in it low, proceeded to fill it from a small hand can. She unscrewed the neck, and the light going out, she poured a little oil on it, to revive it. In igniting, the flames caught her clothes, and becoming bewildered, she ran out of the house but soon returned, and portions of her burning dress dropped near the large oil can, and communicating to it, caused an explosion, and set fire to the house. Mr. Parham arrived on the spot just as the frame of his house fell in, and found his wife writhing in agony from the effects of her frightful burns, and every thing on the premises consumed, not a soul being present — the servants and employees all being away at the time of the terrible catastrophe. A little four year old girl of Mr. P's had discrimination enough to wake up her little two year old brother, and lead him out of danger. Mrs. Parham died after several hours of excruciating agony. # # #