And she _did_ live, to be chained yet longer to one she could but hate--she lived to receive the abuse of one who by a hell-engendered artifice seduced her from the sheltering, peaceful roof of her father--she lived to see him a beastly slave to intoxication--she lived to see her whole family reduced to want and misery by becoming sureties for this now unprincipled spendthrift--she lived to see the just retribution of heaven poured out upon the defenceless head, of this serpent, which wound his way into Paradise and brought its inmates to shame and poverty--she lived to see him die in want and disgrace, raving with the agonies of despair. And she herself survived but a short time, a pensioner upon the bounty of a few friends, who received her into their houses, to cheer, if possible, the approaching close of her painful and wretched existence;--which blind, presumptuous man, ignorant of the wise designs of Providence would fain pronounce too severe a fate, for a flower so tender and beautiful in its first buddings. _Lovingston, Virginia, March 25, 1835_. For the Southern Literary Messenger. A TALE OF A NOSE. BY PERTINAX PLACID. I had a dream, which was not all a dream.--_Byron_. The story which I am about to relate may by some be considered extravagant. I shall not argue the point; but content myself with the reflection that mankind have never yet been unanimous in their opinions in relation to any subject which admitted of a question. There are two special merits which I claim for my story, viz: that it is _brief_, and that it has a _moral_. Such as it is I offer it to the consideration of the reader. It was a beautiful night in July.--The noble steamer "Dewitt Clinton" was speeding her way through the moonlit waters of the Hudson, thronged with passengers. We had left Albany late in the afternoon; already we had passed the majestic Cattskill, and were entering among those gorgeous scenes of nature which have been celebrated by an hundred pens.--Julia and myself had escaped from the crowd below, to the upper "round house" or roofing of the boat, which commanded an unobstructed view of the objects on either side of the river, and where we were secure from interruption, the myriads below being too busily engaged in contending for berths, and preparing for their night's lodging, to seek out our retreat or participate in the enjoyment of the beauties we were contemplating.