The Hope Pioneer

EIGHT LIVES LOST.
A Mother and Seven Children Drowned During a Flood in Arkansas.

LITTLE ROCK, ARK., June 25.—Word has just reached here from Clinton that a Mrs. Emerson and seven children, residing near that place, lost their lives during the heavy storm last Saturday night. Emerson, who is an old settler in Van Buren County, was with his family when the storm was raging. After an hour's rain the water gradually flooded his house, and, fearing danger inside, he gathered two of his children in his arms and made for the door to escape. As the door opened a huge log floated in the entrance and knocked the little ones from his arms. They fell at his feet into the swift current and were lost. He then took up two more, one in each arm, and succeeded in getting out safely, telling his wife to follow with the others, but the mother, with two children in her arms and three clinging to her dress, was carried down with the flood and drowned. The father and two children, the only ones left in a family of eleven, escaped with their lives. The father, with two little ones, stood in water up to his waist clinging to a tree until daylight, when the water subsided. The bodies of the mother and seven children were found scattered over the place, where they had been left by the flood. The home of Mr. Emerson is a total wreck, it is said, and he is almost distracted with grief. The loss of live-stock from the flood and damage to property in the neighborhood was very great.