Dear Sir, - I cannot say how sorry I am to have to confess that until last week I had not read your wonderful paper. I happened to be making several purchases at a bookstall, when I saw its lovely cover, and so I bought it, but little thinking what interest it would have for me.
I am a French girl, born in Paris twenty-five years ago, and had my right leg amputated above the knee when I was 17. I came to this country when I was 18, to finish my education, and when I was twenty I commenced to study art, both in England and in my own country.
When I commenced my studies I doffed my feminine garb, and donned the masculine garb, which is so popular in the Latin Quarter in Paris - velvet corduroy trousers with, of course, the right leg cut short, leaving three-quarters of an empty trouser leg dangling around my crutch. I also wore the artistic blouse of the student, and an apache cap stuck rakishly on my head.
My crutch is of the slender pole type, which I can easily manipulate between my thumb and forefingers. Being a Parisian, I am naturally fond of make-up; and as a contrast to my jet black hair I am very generous with the very brightest and most brilliant rouge I can obtain, also covering my lips with a good thick layer of crimson lipstick. My finger and toe-nails I also colour to harmonise.
I am not very tall and, like the majority of my countrywomen, I am rather vivacious in appearance.
Through being one-legged and not able to get about as quickly as I could with two legs, I have developed a rather pronounced plumpness; but I do not mind this.
I am, however, compelled, owing to my extremely full bust, to have the shoulder rest of my crutch - which, by the way, is gray in colour and beautifully polished - well padded, as the flesh is rather sensitive under my armpit through my being compelled to continuously having a crutch there; not having attempted to hop without the support of my trusty crutch, which is, to me, absolutely indispensable.
My only grievance against my one-leggedness is this plumpness under my armpits, which is giving me a little discomfort. I should be extremely graceful for any hints as to a remedy for this from any other one-legged girl reader. I do hope this appeal from a one-legged girl will be answered through your columns.
Until a few months ago I used to travel alternatively for three monthly periods between here and my country during my studies; and naturally with my one leg and crutch, I became more or less a well-known and familiar one-legged figure to the officials; but of course it is impossible for me to do this now, so I am staying in your lovely countryside with an old school chum, as I am without parents and relatives.
I was very interested in the letter from "One Leg Preferred," especially her remarks about her golden circlet. I am able to substantiate what she said about these ornaments being very popular with one-legged French women, as I am personally acquainted with quite a number of my own countrywomen, who, like myself are one-legged, and the majority of them wear one - of course myself included. They are known as "la circlet de moignon." Mine is platinum, 1« inches wide, with my initials engraved on it, and the date my leg was amputated. I have been one-legged over eight years.
I was also very pleased to see the sketch and article by Miss Joan Roper. Now that I have to give up my travels and studies, I was contemplating what type of dress I could adopt and she has come to the rescue of my one-legged deficiency. I do hope that it will not be necessary for her to have her leg amputated; but if Fate decrees that, like myself, she is to become one-legged, I hope that she will write and gives us her own experiences.
I have ordered "London Life" to be delivered to me each week, and I shall look with great trepidation to see if Miss Roper has to lose her leg. If this should happen, I can assure her from my own experiences that there is nothing very terribly serious in having only one leg. On the contrary I have found that my amputated limb has something indescribably fascinating about it which I cannot put into words. It is, however, a feeling of not being able to do certain things with only one leg, which never fails to give me a delightful sensation of helplessness as I endeavour to use my amputated limb before realisation tells me of its futility. Being one-legged always seems to pave the way to making friends.
The other week I had a long 'bus journey of several hours, and after we had gone some distance, a very charming young fellow who was sharing my seat, said, as he pointed to my shortened trouser leg:
"I am so sorry that you are one-legged."
I smiled as I said that he need not really be sorry for me, because I was not in the least regretful at having only one limb.
This broke the ice and we chatted and smoked together until our journey's end. This is only one instance where my one leg has made a friend.
If you would care I could write and give you quite a lot of incidents I have experienced since I became one-legged, which I am sure would interest all your one-legged girl readers, as they are true, though somewhat remarkable, episodes which have happened to me amongst night life in night clubs at which I was well known as a one-legged regular habitue during my art studies.
I happen to be a member of a very select club whose membership is very limited as it is composed solely of one-legged women like myself. We have two guest nights a year when we do not confine ourselves to absolute one-leggedness, and we have had some wonderfully unique times - and of course we shall again, when things become normal once more.
In wishing your paper the very best success, I will conclude by also offering my deepest sympathy to Miss Roper in her present crippledness; and if she should become a one-legged girl, I give her the motto of our club, which is: "Une jambe et biguille" which in English means: "One leg and crutch".
Yours truly,
Yours truly,
One-Legged Parisian.