crostic. I used to give some of the ingredients for his
"Christmas Mince Pie," and wrote many riddles of various sorts. My
charades were not so elegant as some arranged by Miss Clark, and not so
easily found out; and my double acrostics were not so subtle as those
given in competition nowadays, but they were in the eighties reckoned
excellent. My fame had reached the ears of Mrs. Alfred Watts (nee
Giles), who spent her early colonial life on Kangaroo Island, and she
asked me to write some double acrostics for the poor incurables. I
stared at her in amazement. "We want to be quite well to tackle double
acrostics and to have access to books. Does not Punch speak of the
titled lady, eager to win a guinea prize, who gave seven volumes of
Carlyle's works to seven upper servants, and asked each to search one
to find a certain quotation?" "Oh," said Mrs. Watts, "I don't mean for
the incurables to amuse themselves with. I mean for the benefit of the
home."

In the end I prepared a book of charades and double acrostics, for the
printing and binding of which Mrs. Watts paid. It was entitled "Silver
Wattle," and the proceeds from the sale of this little book went to
help the funds of the home. For a second volume issued for the same
purpose Mrs. Strawbridge wrote some poems, Mrs. H. M. Davidson a
translation of Victor Huge, Miss Clark her beautiful "Flowers of
Greece," and her niece some pretty verses, which, combined with the
double acrostics, and acting charades supplied by me, made an
attractive volume. Mrs. Watts had something of a literary turn, which
found expression in "Memories of Early Days in South Australia," a book
printed for private circulation among her family and intimate friends.
Dealing with the years between 1837 and 1845 it was very interesting to
old colonists, particularly when they were able to identify the people
mentioned, sometimes by initials and sometimes by pseudonyms. The
author was herself an incurable invalid from an accident shortly after
her marriage, and felt keenly for all the inmates of the Fullarton Home.

In 1877 my brother John--with whom I had never quarrelled in my life,
and who helped and encouraged me in everything that I did--retired from
the English, Scottish, and Australian Bank, and decided to contest a
seat for the Legislative Council. It was the last occasion on which the
Council was elected with the State as one district. Although he
announced his candidature only the night befor