Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1891-06-17
Hetty Ogle.

Every one Knows OF the nODIe ana
tragic death of Hetty Ogle, the heroic
telegrapher of Johnstown, but few
have watched the consistent and we'll
ordered course of her life.
Hetty Ogle was born in the beautiful
mountain village of Somerset, Penn
sylvania, and there she grew to be a
cheerful, hopeful, happy, pleasant
faced young woman.
Her father was for many years Re
corder of the courts there. He died a
poor man. There were few education
al advantages in Somerset, and though
Hetty had strong, well-balanced mind
it had little school training. After her
fathers death she married Charles
Ogle, a younger member of the family
so dist nguished in Pennsylvania pol
itics. He was one of the first to enlist
as soldier in the civil war, and was
killed in the Wilderness at the battle
of Gaines Mill. His body was never
recovered. Mrs. Ogle was left with
three little children to support, and
she went to work calmly and bravely
to do it. The telegraph office in
Somerset was in a room also occupied
as a store, and where the rough men
of the town congregated to gossip and
.at I.tut ah., nd n.tE Enlr 20 Lon,
that business, and she did it thoroughly
never getting a disrespectful word
task being that she left her babies at
home to take care of each other as
best they could. She soon became
wonderfully proficient, and was given
an office of her own in Somerset.
From that she gained the confidence
of the telegraph company SO entirely
that at the time of her death she had
charge of three telegraph lines il
Johnstown. Her two boys grew to
be fine fellows, shaped by her strong
! will and good example. Her daughter
was always frail in health, and was
only kept alive by the tender care OF
her mother. Their home was the mos
perfectly ordered that can be imagined
1t was seldom invaded by a ser>,lnt
but was kept cXquisitely neat by the
skilful and deft hands Of the mistress
Everything that came upon her table
was of the dainticst, and she shared
what she had with rich and poor. HcI
friends always said Hetty's cotlee-pot
was inexhaustible. She taught scores
of boys and girls telegraphy for no
thing, and helped them to find situa-
tons. At the time of her death two
young girls were gratuitously sharing
her home and earning good wages in
telegraph offices from the benefit OF
her instruction. They died with theil
benefactress. She even found time tC
do beautiful fancy work with heI
wonderful, quick fingers. She was
one of the sort of whom people say
"How does she find time to accomplish
all that she does?"
She was a member of the Christian
Church. Her religion was certainly
most practical. She embodied tn
| golden rule.
She had at one time to endure
terrible surgical operation. After II
was over, and she was just regainin2
consciousness she saw her son, to whom
she had taught telegraphy, standing
BY her side. He saw her finger
move, although she could not speak
and he understood that she was tele'
graphing on the bed-spread, at il
over: am safe" to distant anC
anxious friend. She was entirely un
selfish during every conscious momen
of her useful life. While this Hines
was progressing, the telegraph com
pany, to whom she had been so faith
ful n servant sent n man, at their owl
expense, to take her place in theil
offices. All the mill whistles in TIN
region were hushed by a positive
order from the owners while she wa
in a critical condition, and bulletin
were regularly issued to the anxious
town, where she commanded genera
love and respect.
The company which she served ha'
inst repaired and put in perfect ordeI
the house which she occupied, and thu
world never looked brighter nSr fairel
to Hetty Ogle, than upon the morning
of the day that she gave up her life IL
the effort to save her fellow-creatures
Not a trace of her drowned, burned
MANNED, scattered body has been dis
covered by agonized searchers. but we
who believe in the reward of tin
faithful servant, are confident tha
Hetty Ogle has heard from the Maste
..Wen done; enter thou into the jo.
of thy Lord"
THE famous house IN henslnSt"l
Gore. London, in which Gulzot, Ca
nrnta Mananlay an,