The commonly received notion that a man may marry his first cousin,
but must not marry his second is not true; but it is quite true that
Cole's Book Arcade is in Bourke Street, Melbourne, about half-way
between Swanston and Elizabeth Sts.
The rumour that a Yankee Gentleman had invented a machine to take
the noise out of thunder has turned out not to be true; but it is
quite true that Cole's Book Arcade is open from nine in the morning
to ten at night, every working day in the year.
The fact that Cole's Book Arcade contains 80,000 sorts of books is
not the cause of the sea being salt--of coca-nuts containing milk--
of the growth of big gooseberries, nor of the multitude of great big
fibs told annually about a sea-serpent.
It is not true that cats will suck the breath of children when they
are asleep, but it is quite true that Cole's Book Arcade contains one
interesting cat and 80,000 sorts of interesting books.
N.B.--The likeness of Cole's Cat can be seen on page 153.
[Page 126--Riddles And Catches]