Dear Sir, - It took me a 7000 mile journey to discover "London Life," and this occurred only by a happy chance. The magazines the colony where I was living had become rather scarce owing to the war, and I was looking for something fresh in a book-shop.
Casually opening a copy of "London Life" containing one of Mr. Wallace Stort's remarkable articles, I knew at once that I had found what I had been searching for years.
It was fortunate that I took some back numbers of your magazine from the shop with me at the time, because when I returned the remainder had gone, and I had to wait with considerable impatience the arrival of new numbers from England.
Now I am back in this country, however, it has been possible to get some of your back numbers, so I have been able to retrieve a few of the opportunities missed in the past. Incidentally, judging from the demand, "London Life" is very popular in the colony where I have been.
You will gather from this that I am particularly interested in monopedes, whose contributions to your columns I have read with greatest eagerness. There can be no doubt that the correspondent section is unique, especially for its frank, friendly and intimate tone, which makes one feel that one knows most of the writers individually.
I do not propose to indulge in introspective theories why I should personally find monopedes so fascinating. I can only say that they seem to possess a charm and mystery, a sense of "difference," which other girls must find it difficult to rival, and must sometimes envy. The very fact that they are monopedes compel them - if life is to be worth while at all - to develop her personalities and physical attractions in a special way, which allied with a missing limb is deeply appealing to some of us. Thus I am sure that there must be many readers besides myself who follow the articles by Mr. Stort and the letters from your one-legged girl correspondents, describing their experiences, with the closest interest. The only trouble is that there are not enough of them.
Curiously, I have never yet known a one-legged girl well enough to be able to discuss the subject of common interest, but perhaps that may be a pleasure in store. Up to the presence I have had to admire at a distance. So I have tried to visualise my ideal monopede.
She should be of medium height, with fair hair and blue or grey eyes, pleasant, regular features, and a vivacious, friendly temperament. She would have a well-rounded, good figure, and a nice waist, and the leg amputated at or near the hip. She would use a pair of smart crutches, full length to the shoulders, as I agree with one or two of your correspondents that a single crutch seems to spoil the carriage and balance and appears - to me, at any rate - rather "common"; whereas a pair give a nice looking girl dignity, and even grace.
It is possible that one of your limbless girl readers fills these requirements, although, if so, I have not seen her photo within your covers. The young American lady whose picture has appeared two or three times certainly had many attractive features, and looked splendid either standing or seated.
This leads me to hope that further numbers of "London Life" will contain more photographs of monopedes, particularly in shorts, slacks or bathing costumes. And when are "Peggy," "Anne" and "Elizabeth" going to oblige?
One hopes also that a portrait gallery of monopedes who have graced the columns of "London Life" in the past could be published for the benefit of newer readers. I feel that there are several good ones I have missed. At least one reader is looking forward to more letters from monopedes, describing their everyday lives and experiences, and, of course, more articles from the pen of Mr. Stort.
I am also keenly interested in the question of eyewear, upon which I have some very decided views, and I have read the letters of "Goggles" and "Peggy Rimless" with sympathy. But I feel that this is enough to be going on with, and perhaps I may write again later.
With all good wishes to "London Life,"
Yours truly,
Autolycus.