b Mag.

Daniel arose, and slowly directed his footsteps towards the spot. He was
glad to find that the king remained stationary. He approached within a
respectful distance of the maniac, uncovered his head, made his humble
obeisance as in days of yore, and cried:

"O king, live forever!"

The king, in silence, continued to gaze on Daniel, with a wild, vacant
stare.

"Jehovah, the God of Israel!" cried Daniel, pointing with his finger to
the skies.

"J-e-h-o-v-a-h!" slowly whispered the king, gazing upward.

The Hebrew now ventured nearer the king, fell upon his knees, and "with
his face toward Jerusalem," sent his urgent, silent petition to the God
of Israel, in behalf of his unfortunate sovereign. Daniel had not been
long in prayer before the king, with restored reason, fell down by his
side and loudly rejoiced and praised the God of heaven. The set time had
come; the prayer of the man of God had, indeed, prevailed; the lost was
found, the maniac was restored.

The restoration of reason to the king was brought about by the same
miraculous power that had deprived him of it, and it was accomplished in
the same sudden manner. He was not only restored to the right use of his
faculties, but also to a perfect recollection of the past. The dream, its
interpretation, with all subsequent transactions up to the very day of
his insanity, were brought clearly to his mind; but since that moment all
was one dark void. In mercy, not a vestige was permitted to remain to
embitter his after years.

The most important thing that now appeared to occupy the monarch's mind
was the life and health of his family, and the length of the period of
his insanity.

"Tell me, O Belteshazzar, how long has the king of Babylon remained in
this degraded condition?"

"Seven years of deep calamity, O king, have passed over thy head!"

"Seven years!" cried the king, with a trembling voice, while his tears
were fast falling. "O thou God of heaven, thou art just in all thy ways!
But are the members of my family spared to see the restoration of the
king?"

"They are all spared and in good health, O king, and will be overjoyed to
see thee restored to thy throne."

"Jehovah is the only God! He ruleth among the armies of the heavens, and
the inhabitants of the earth. Let all nations praise the God of Israel!
But come, Belteshazzar, let us bend our footsteps towards the palace."

Daniel threw one of his loose garments over the almost naked form