Final answer:
The author included the length of the article to emphasize its brevity and possible insignificance.
Step-by-step explanation:
The author chose to include the length of the article in the sentence to emphasize its brevity and possibly its insignificance. By mentioning that the article is 'less than one page long,' the author highlights that it may not contain a lot of information or be of great importance. This detail could be used to convey the idea that Laura and Maurice's relationship did not receive much attention or coverage in the magazine.