MOTHERS-IN-LAW:



A headline of 11 July 1917, pg. 6, col. 3. reads "Variant of the

Mother-in-Law Joke." The joke-coiner's name is quoted on 13 August 1917, pg.

8, col. 3:



AS TO ORIGINS

Sir: Talking about origins, this seems rather an original origin of the

original mother-in-law joke. Tom Prior is responsible: Alcibiades while

walking one day with his wife on the hills of Acropolis espied a she-wolf in

the distance. Stooping, Alcibiades picked up a large rock, which he hurled

at the she-wolf, but, missing, struck his mother-in-law, whereupon Alcibiades

exclaimed: "Ah, not so bad!" H. O.



(Thank goodness this genre died--ed.)



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