Dear Sir, - The letter from "C. D. B." in a recent issue of your journal interested me, for I am completing my plans for my own wedding and have very carefully gone into the details, as behaves any bride - and more particularly one who is minus one of her limbs.
My left leg is the only one remaining, as my right one was taken off 2 inches from the hip when I was 20 - three years ago.
I have chosen a short white dress for my wedding for two reasons, the chief one being that I wish to run no risk of tripping over a long one; and the second is that I have no desire to try to cover up the fact that I am one-legged. Indeed, my husband-to-be made me promise that, as he was in the first place attracted to me by the fact that one leg is missing, and that he adored me because I am a cripple, I was to be married in a frock showing off my one-legged state as much and as attractively as possible - and, of course, using my very smartest pair of crutches. I say "pair" advisedly, because neither of us will ever agree to my hopping about in an ungainly manner on only one.
I am to wear a satin shoe with a 3 inch heel, and a white silk stocking on my one remaining leg.
I have specially noted your correspondent's warning about crutch and heel traps, and I have very good reason to do so, as once when I was walking down the aisle of a church quite suddenly slipped down a hole in a ventilating grating. Fortunately the other was on terra firma; but had it been the right one (the same side as my missing leg), I should certainly have had a bad fall.
Apropos of traps, may I warn those of your readers who use crutches to be careful of those gratings frequently seen on pavements and which are covered by glass squares? Though they look innocent enough, there are often one or more of these squares missing, and the opening left is quite enough for one's crutch to falling into it and, being taken unawares, the crutch is more than likely to snap in one's efforts to extricate it as quickly a possible. It is in these kind of circumstances that a one-legged girl is so often handicapped.
I have given a good deal of though to the question of kneeling, and I am determined to kneel rather than stand at the altar. I know it may be a little difficult, but with very slight assistance and each attendant holding a crutch, I am sure a one-legged bride need not depart from this very important duty.
I have several pairs of delightful crutches in black and in brown, and for this occasion I have a beautiful pair of grey ones, light and perfectly shaped, and bought specially for my wedding. These I shall also use far going away.
All my crutches are of the right length to use with my high heel. Usually I affect black, as they are very smart and look well with almost anything; but on special occasions I tucked a pair of coloured ones under my armpits to match the frock I am wearing.
When I wear an ultra high heel, which I often do, I have this made on a finely built Court shoe; and even with this height of heel I find I can manage quite well with my usual crutches - but not, of course, for long distances.
I am determined that my future husband shall never have any regrets that he married a one-legged wife; and so, as he loves a high heel as much as I do, and glories in seeing me swinging along on my single well dressed leg, I intend to satisfy both, him and me, even though I am destined to walk through life on two crutches and with only one leg.
I fear this is a long letter, but I hope you will be able to publish it.
Before closing, I should like to congratulate you on the very excellent photo of the one-legged girl, Olive Kent, accompanying "Zenophon's" letter.
Yours truly,
One-Legged Bride-To-Be.