Dear Sir, - I am afraid my last letter to you was rather disjointed, so I am writing again.
First of all, I lost my right leg five years ago. A brewer's dray was turning a corner when one of the barrels fell off and caught my leg midway between ankle and knee.
I saw my leg just before I was picked up, and I fainted.
I was awarded 1500 Guinea compensation.
I was cashier in a shop, and although I am still able to do the work the sight of my crutches causes all the employers I have seen to say I am unsuitable.
I was broken-hearted when I knew that my leg was gone, but I soon made up my mind to let it make as little difference as possible.
The first time I saw my stump I nearly fainted again, as the scar looked terrible. But it soon changed to a faint white line, and before I am married the scar of the second operation will have faded too.
Some of my accidents of the first few months of my one-leggedness are funny even to me. I will tell you a few of them.
The first was when I was getting on a bus. I used to put my crutches on first and pull myself up by my arms. One day I had put my crutches on the bus and was just getting on when the bus started and I was left standing in the road. As I had not learned to hop, I had to stand precariously until a policeman had chased the bus and returned with my crutches.
Another happened soon after I had began to use a peg leg. I was walking along looking at the other side of the street, and walked on to a grating. My leg slipped through the bars and jammed and I was stuck fast until someone went below and forced my peg up again.
I am also very wary of mats - they slip so easily.
"Limbless Lady" remarks on how she can feel the missing toes waggle. I can feel mine itching sometimes. Her remarks about the tightness of the corset are quite true. If it is too loose blisters are formed, and if too tight the pain soon becomes unbearable.
I always wear mine a little too short, and I find I have a much more easy and graceful walk if it is the correct length. But of course each different height of heel required a different leg, and for that reason I soon gave it up. Its stiffness, too, was against it, as owing to the length of my stump I could not wear a jointed leg, and I had a fearful habit of tripping people up, and when I sat down it shot up and the rubber foot on it rapped hard on whatever it happened to meet.
Now I am told that I can wear either an artificial leg or a jointed peg leg, and we have decided on the peg leg to start with, and as I have now got a natural pad on the end of my stump it will be much more comfortable.
The stump is already nearly healed and is filling out nicely.
I still love wearing ultra-high heels, even though they are only ornaments, as I cannot possibly walk more than a few paces in them.
I used a crutch-handled stick indoors at first, and with the aid of chairs I got about quite easily, until I suddenly found myself hopping more and more. I was surprised at first, until it was explained to me that the sense of balance becomes so developed that it becomes second nature to hop; but it is very unsafe to do so in a high heel, and whilst working in the mornings I wear a low-heeled shoe.
Can any of your readers please say if the previous stories by Wallace Stort are still obtainable and where?
My husband-to-be is very fond of high heels, and I feel sure I have some very pleasant surprises in store in this respect. Next month we start furnishing our house, and I will be able to write again.
Yours truly,
Helen Fivetoes.