us times Canovas steadily upheld the crown;
through riot and revolution he never wavered, and was even banished from
Spain on one occasion because of his well-known sympathy for the crown.

When the right moment came he placed himself at the head of Alfonso's
friends, and succeeded in seating him on the throne.

Alfonso XII. never forgot the service Canovas had done him. He made him
his Prime Minister, and during his entire reign was guided by the
Minister's advice.

After Alfonso's death Canovas devoted himself to the service of the
Queen Regent, and has been her faithful ally and counsellor ever since.

The Minister was, however, a haughty and arrogant man. He made many
enemies through his pride, and despite the respect which both King and
Queen had for him, both were more or less afraid of him.

There are two stories about him which show how little he cared how he
offended even such mighty personages as his sovereigns.

On one occasion Alfonso XII., wishing to reward him for some service,
offered to make him a duke. Canovas is said to have replied to the
King:

"Sire, I made you a king--how can you make me a duke!"

One day, during Alfonso's lifetime, the Queen got very much out of
temper with her consort, and allowed herself to give way to her anger
before the court.

Canovas was greatly displeased, and followed the Queen to her
apartments.

"Madam," he said, as soon as they were alone, "the interests of the
monarchy are of more importance than your private feelings. To-morrow
you will leave Spain for Austria, and await my orders in Vienna."

Astonishing as it may seem, the Queen obeyed.

Canovas ruled with a rod of iron. It is stated that his murder was
committed in revenge for some terrible cruelties that were practised in
Barcelona by his orders. A little over a year ago a bomb was thrown into
one of the churches in Barcelona. Four hundred people were arrested, and
it was supposed that the bomb-throwing was the outcome of an Anarchist
plot.

Numbers of the persons arrested were evidently innocent, and the
Government could not find out who was responsible for the outrage.
Canovas refused to believe that any of the people arrested were
innocent, but insisted that they knew all about it if they could only be
made to speak, and so he ordered them tortured in the most inhuman ways
to make them confess.

The man who shot Canovas declared, when he was arrested, that his
brother had been tortured in Bar