is often called the "Key to the Gulf of Mexico;" and Havana, the
capital, has a key upon its coat of arms. Cuba looks very small upon
our maps, yet it contains nearly as much land as the State of
Pennsylvania.

[Illustration: Queen Regent of Spain.]

Perhaps I should tell you just here that Spain is a kingdom. Its
ruler, King Alfonso XII., died in 1885. His widow, Queen Christina,
has ruled since then, but her son will be crowned king as soon as he
is old enough. The "little king," as he is often called, was twelve
years old when this war began. Christina is a good and noble woman,
and it is not her fault that the people in distant islands have been
badly treated.




CHAPTER II.

THE "MAINE."


Before the United States joined in the war, the Cubans had succeeded
in driving the Spaniards out of many places in the eastern part of the
island, but could not get possession of the western part and the chief
harbors. We have seen that the war between the United States and Spain
began in April, 1898. But, two months before that time something
happened in the harbor of Havana, the capital of Cuba, which caused
terrible excitement in our country. You must understand that many