"THOU ART THE MAN!" by Edgar Allan Poe: THE FIRST APPEARANCE of POE'S story, sometimes referred to as the first comic detective story, in the November 1844 issue of GODEY'S LADY'S BOOK. [3 issues from October through December 1844 bound in one].

THE FIRST APPEARANCE OF EDGAR ALLAN POE'S SHORT STORY "THOU ART THE MAN!" - Octavo, 9-3/4 inches high by 6-1/4 inches wide. Disbound, lacking the covers with but remnants of the spine. [138] text pages in all, numbered from 145 through 284, illustrated with 6 engraved plates. The pagination of each issue is as follows: October consists of pages 145 through 192, illustrated with 2 engravings; November consists of pages 193-240, illustrated with 2 engravings; and the December issue consists of pages 241-250 and 253-284, illustrated with 2 engravings. Pages 251/2 are lacking from the December issue. Several page corners are creased and there is some occasional soiling throughout. There is minor dampstaining to the bottom edges of the pages with some heavier dampstaining near the rear. The first appearance of Edgar Allan Poe's "Thou Art the Man!", which is sometimes called the first comic detective story, here published on pages 219 through 224 of the November 1844 issue.The editor of Godey's made at least one change in the text: "old fellow" for "old cock". The humorous story satirizes the residents of a rural country town.…