"These burning words of your Aunt Josepha, to her son Daniel, are the
words of Daniel to his cousins. Prove true to your religion! and if in
this ye die, it shall be but the will of your God. But, cousins, ye shall
not die! That same Jehovah who appeared in our behalf years ago, in the
revelation of the king's dream, will again stretch out his arm to save.
If Jehovah interferes in your behalf, there is not fire enough in all
Chaldea to injure a hair of your head. I long to be with you! Nothing
would give me greater pleasure than to be immediately called back to
Babylon. Then side by side would we stand erect, and scorn to bow before
a golden image. But it appears to be the will of Jehovah that I should
be absent. I have confidence that I shall soon embrace you in Babylon:
but if in this I am mistaken, we soon shall meet in the better Jerusalem
above.

"Daniel."

It was with some difficulty that Azariah commanded sufficient control
over his feelings to enable him to read the letter aloud; but with a
trembling accent it was done.

"Thanks be to Jehovah." cried Mishael, "for such consolation in the midst
of sore affliction."

"But what says our beloved Perreeza?" said Hananiah.

No one felt willing to read aloud their sister's letter, so it was read
by each in silence. It ran thus:

"Dear Brothers: With emotions indescribable, Perreeza endeavors to write