The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1904-02-02
A REPORTERS STORY

Win number OF las companions anout
stove at midnight, .'have 1t In our
power to do lots Of good or lots of
harm"
what d'you meanY' asked one Of
the party.
~oh, there are millions of ways
What have in my mind just now is
suddenly thrusting some one into
prominence. When l was looking
after the social lions | made deal
with an impoverished swell TO give me
spicy bits about them. He had the en-
iree, and hadn't Well, one day lie
told me that Lord Martingale, fresh
importation from London, had said
that q certain Mrs. Ringletter he had
seen in Central park beat anything for
beauty they had in England. Here's
a CO. said to my informer. 4 know
Mrs. Ringletter. III just run that
item in the social tldbits next Sunday.
and she'll be tickled TO DEATH
Sure enough, the next Sunday
morning ! cooked up beautiful an
nouncement of the fact that we had a
prettier woman in New York than
they had In London and no less
critic than Lord Martingale had said
so. A few days later met Guy Ring
letter, and he told me his wife had
suddenly stumbled on to the item and
it had pleased her immensely.
THAT'S all thought about the mat
ter. You know we fellows can't keep
our minds on one subject very long
One evening l dropped into the Metro
politan Opera House to jot down who
was there, when heard two swells
talking beside me. One OF them spoke
with decidedly English accent.
Can you tell me who that woman
is in the first box from the stage in the
second tier? he was saying.
That's young Mrs. Mickelton, re
Gently married. Why do you ask?'
Because she is the most beautiful
woman l ever saw. We've nothing
like her In London
You don't mean it.
well, skinned around and found
out who the fellows were and learned
that one Of them was Lord Martingale.
Now, you may suppose that remem.
bered what he'd said about my friend,
Mrs. Rlngletter. but had clean forgot
ten 1t. Back went to the office and
wrote out that Lord Martingale had
remarked at the opera that young Mrs.
Mickelton was the most beautiful won,
an in New York and there was nothing
like her in London.
about a week after that was stroll
ing along upper Broadway. had just
lighted cigar and was feeling very
comfortable. Truth is had $40 in my
pocket, something that hadn't occurred
before since entered Journalism, and
was wishing some one would come
along that l could blow off, felt a
touch on my arm and turning, saw a
seedy individual looking out of pair
of the most melancholy eyes | ever
saw. was about to give him nickel
when stood stock still with astonish-
ment.
Guy Rlngletter, can this be.you:'
Yes he said mournfully,
whats the matterT
1--WE been ruined
"'Come in here and tell M about IT.
II led him into cafe. We sat down
at one of the tables, and / called for a
lunch and something with which to
wash 1t down. Now, / said, lets
hear IT.
Do you remember nearly year
ago an item You put in your paper
stating that Lord Martingale had said
that my wife was the most beautiful
woman in New York;
SLOWLY the matter got back into my
brain.
yes / said 4 think I remember
something like that
"'Well, when you published that item
| was fairly prosperous. I was doing
good business and making money.
But from the appearance OF your state
ment l saw change in Lucy. One
day she told me that now we were do
Ing so well we ought to go out more,
and | soon learned that she meant we
were to begin a systematic climbing to
get into the -Four Hundred set. did
what could to dissuade her, but it
was no use. The queen of society bee
had got into her bonnet; Lord Martin
gale had said that she was the most
beautiful woman In New York and by
the spending Of some money she could
easily enter the elect set and with such
a recommendation at once become
leader.
1.-THE most fashionable dressmaker
was hired for her clothes. and the prin
cipal jeweler of the city furnished the
gems. We gave two entertainments and
got In FIVE swells in all. They We're
young men OF fashion who live by their
wits and We're glad to get "full' on my
champagne. Several women who
claimed 10 be in the smart set were at
our soirees but we found out after
ward that they were impostors
Meanwhile the bills began to come
In, and found the work Of setting my
wife up as professional beauty was n
terrible expense. You see. | couldn't
attend to my business and keep track
/ q - 49, Z I.e4