Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1914-07-02
HIS CAREER
and HIS WIFE

Luke Steele was accounted an un.
usually clever reporter by those who
were watching his work with critical
eyes. They said he was in line for big"
things If he held his gait. Everybody
in the newspaper office was interested
in his work; it was original, clean
cut, telling. One there was who had
deeper interest in the handsome
young reporter, though she kept the
fact pretty closely guarded. She was
the society editor, and her desk ad-
joined Steele's.
Good friends they were. Steele was
never too busy to salVe her wounds
when some particularly snobbish So
ciety matron had ridden over her
rough-shod. And Peggy Maston was
always ready to blaze trail for Luke
Steele when the muse refused to in
spre. OFTEN they left the office to-
gether after the evenings work and
stopped for a sandwich at a restau-
rant. Then it was that Steele told
the girl of his ambitions, his ideals,
and the girl was sympathetic. She
listened and she encouraged.
Luke Steele was erratic; his was
the nature of a poet. There were
times when he lost his head over
things that sparkled and spangled.
And one day he told Peggy about
girl. He had got so he told Peggy
about everything. 1t seemed to make
matters easier.
He rushed into the Office in great
excitement. 1t didn't matter TO him
that he had fallen down on a big
story the day before. 1t didn't matter
that a whisper was going about the
office that Steele was on an awful
slump" Luke Steele was in love- She
was a girl with spangles and sweeping
plumage and ears jeweled with jade,
And she had consented to become
Mrs. Steele. He really knew very
little about her except that she was
the most charming thing that he had
ever seen. She was a girl of spirit
and glow; she made such smart,
chic appearance. He was so proud or
her when they went about together.
This he told to Peggy Maston. And
Peggy was very sweet about 1t. True,
she was rather startled when Luke
told her that his tiancee didn't know
a thing about housekeeping and that
they were going to board. She knew
that Luke had for long time cher
ished a longing for an apartment.
Much more that Luke told her awoke
grave doubts in her heart, but she
said nothing. She merely looked at
him with eyes tender for his happi-
ness.
II wasn't long after that that Peggy
Maston resigned from the stan or the
Eagle and sought work in another
city When the Steeles returned from
their honeymoon, she heard about 1t.
When the young wife bought an cleo
trio, she was apprised of the fact
When Luke Steele was reduced from
star reporter of the Eagle to market
man. it was written to Peggy Mas
ton for there were those who sus-
pected that she had been fond OF him.
One morning Peggy tore open an
envelope with unusual eagerness. IL
was her first letter from Luke Steele.
Il know you will like my wife, It
read. She likes to know just what
Mrs. So and SO wore at the races on
Tuesday, and it is Of vital import TO
her whether narrow skirts are to be
recherche Il used to know how to
spell that word when you occupied
the desk next to mine; now I'm not
quite sure) this fall; whether lemons
help the skin or yellow it-oh, all that
stuff. She doesn't know whether bal
Zac was an alderman or prize pig,
and doesn't care. A front-page story
and a hair ad are all one TO her,
Which doesn't mean that my Wlte
isn't an artist. She is--lots OF 1t. only
her ambition runs toward inclosing
herself in clothes that would make
Fifth avenue model jealous. Briefly
she is not a literary person Maybe
that's why we get along so well to-
gether. Our ambitions do not clash,
and we don't know enough to worry
us about what the other Is doing.
"As to my work, I've just about
stopped thinking | can write. Our
child died after you went away.
had just about given up trying to fin
ism the thing alone, when my wife
mstook it for scrap paper and thrust
it into the arms of the garbage man.
But, 1t was just as WE'LL haven't
time for that dream stuff now. My
wife likes to go about, and 1t keeps
me busy pleasing her. We are still
boarding. We have an electric, dog
and a canary. So | reckon everything
is all right. We are happy, and
might be contended if 1t were not for
that cursed ambition Of mine that
will stay put only when the bills come
in. So it doesn't matter much these
DAYS. for there is nothing much but
bills"
1t was only a couple Of weeks after
ward that they found Luke Steele out
in the park eating grass. He was no
longer a man, but an animal. When
thew dragged him away, he insisted In
a strange voice that he was Nebu-
chadnezzar. Oftentimes now his
keepers say he calls wildly for pen
Gil and paper and cries for his
Child"
His wife is married again; but Peg
gy Maston has gone back to her old
desk on the Eagle. She isn't the So
ciety editor now she is the star wom-
an reporter-Buffalo Express