Dear Sir, - For some time I have been a reader of "London Life", and half always read with the greatest interest the various letters from one-legged girl readers, and also the stories and articles by Wallace Stort.
I am 25 years of age, and fully realise that this complex question affects people in different ways, and as I can speak as to the reactions I have personally experienced, I will try and describe them to the best of my ability.
I was 18 years old when I was travelling abroad with my parents, and during our tour we were in a serious accident in which I lost both my parents, and I was injured to such an extent that it became necessary for me to have my right leg and left hand amputated. My leg is amputated above the knee, leaving me with about three quarters the length of my thigh, and my hand is amputated just above the wrist, compelling me to go through life on a single crutch under my right armpit!
I am glad to say that financially I am fairly well off, which is more than fortunate.
To make up for my leg and hand deficiencies, I hope I shall be forgiven if I say that I am very good looking. My hair is a most brilliant red, which I wear in an extra long pageboy roll reaching well down between my shoulders, with a flat fringe over my forehead and ears.
I favour a vivid scarlet lipstick on my full lips, also having my finger and toe-nails coloured and polished to match. Needless to say, it is impossible for me to do my fingernails myself, so my maid has to come to my aid. She accompanies me on my extensive travels and drives my car, and of course it is most essential for her to attend me when I am performing my toilet or dressing, as there are unfortunately lots of intimate things I am prevented from doing owing to being handicapped with my missing hand. For instance, I cannot pull an opera-length silk stocking on my single leg, or a short sock on my amputated limb, and fasten them on my suspenders, or lace up a single shoe. Also it is impossible for me to dry my back properly after a bath.
I am an extremely well-developed girl, and nature has blessed me with curves in the right places, with a small waist and very shapely ankle, and I find that to my men friends (of whom I have quite a number) my one shapely leg displayed below a short frock is far more attractive than my two legs ever were.
Naturally, I require only one glove, which I can pull on and off with my teeth; but when the weather is very cold I wear a tight-fitting woolen kind of sock on my shortened forearm, with an elastic band above my elbow, which I find a good prevention against coldness.
I can never get a hat to fit properly, owing to my inability to adjust it one-handed, so I just slip on a beret if the weather is windy. My shoes all have three inches heels, as I think this height is quite enough for a one-legged girl to keep her balance effortlessly.
I have quite a dozen crutches in various designs and colours, which stand in a rack specially made for them in the hall of my flat. All the shoulder rests are covered with soft chamois leather and padded with swansdown, yielding most comfortably under my armpit.
I have repeatedly noticed that when a one-legged girl uses a ' pair of armpit crutches, they are inclined to slant out to a most acute angle at the bottom, and I should imagine easily slip away if one is not too careful, but my single crutch has a decided natural tendency to slant well into my body.
I travel quite a lot, and about two years ago when I was on the Continent, I hopped one morning into the cocktail bar of my hotel, and you will understand my pleasure- when I saw-a most charming and pretty girl perched up on a stool with only one shapely leg dangling down, and her crutch propped against the counter. When she saw me hopping in on my crutch, she slithered to the floor and, putting her crutch beneath her left armpit (her left leg was amputated above the knee) hop across to meet me. We became firm friends, going out in my car with my maid-chauffeuse.
One night we went to a variety show, and one of the turns was an acrobatic trapeze act by two charming one-legged sisters. They hopped on to the stage each on a single crutch, dressed in flesh-coloured tights, each girl having a right and left leg amputated well above the knee. They gave a most daring display with such effortless, easy grace, as two normal girls would. It was really quite fascinating to see their two single legs swinging through the air. They received a tremendous ovation and, hopping back to the stage, this time retaining their crutch, they gave a simply marvellous display of one-legged tap-dancing. I have never before nor since seen anything like it. This made me realise more than ever that being one-legged is no deterrent to versatility. My one-legged friend effected an introduction, and after the show we four one-legged girls had supper together at our hotel.
I am continually being asked by different people what my feelings are toward my one-leggedness and towards my one hand. I can honestly say that I do not in the least mind being one-legged, in fact, to be perfectly sincere on this question, I think that I prefer my one-legged condition, because I consider that the amputation of my leg is more than amply compensated for in many ways. There is the extra attention I get when dinning out or at a show, when a waiter or attendant takes my crutch from me as I sit down, and adjusting it comfortably under me right armpit when I leave. I think all this little things count a lot to a one-legged girl - at any rate they always do to me. I do, however, wish that I had my left hand, so that I could be more independent.
I had quite a number of proposals, but refused them, because some time ago I was introduced and, I will admit, fell rather badly for a charming young fellow about my age, who, like me, was one-legged. His immaculate one-legged condition had fascinated me from the time of our introduction. He owns a car, which he has adapted so that he can drive it with his one leg, and he is rather well off, too. I have been about with him now quite regularly for some time, and our friends have dubbed us "The one-legged inseparables."
One night, after dinner at my flat, he told me how completely fascinated he was with me. Then I, too, admitted that I had the same feeling towards him. We are now engaged and are getting married quite soon.
I do not know whether there are any other one-legged couples who have the same feelings of attachments towards each other. It would be most interesting to know.
I will now conclude by thanking you for your wonderful double number and the pleasures your paper has given me for some years.
Yours truly,
One-Handed Monopede.