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Coniston — Volume 02 — Background and Themes

(2 User reviews) 439

In Category - Historical Psychological Social Fiction

Authors: Churchill, Winston, 1871-1947 Digital Source: Project Gutenberg Gutenberg Release Year: 2004 First Publication Year: Not confirmed

Key Word: New England -- Fiction; New England -- Politics and government -- Fiction Target Reader: Readers of public-domain and historical texts

Book Edition: Project Gutenberg digital edition Book Language: en

Edition facts

Words 38,671

Reading time 169 min

Text sections 4

Before opening Coniston — Volume 02 — Background and Themes, the edition data offers a quick orientation: 38,671 words, 2 hr 49 min estimated reading time, and 4 detected text sections.

The text analysis averages about 14.7 words per sentence, while the detected sections provide another way to judge how the source is divided.

Project Gutenberg metadata also associates the work with “New England -- Fiction,” connecting these edition facts with the source record’s subject description.

Source: Project Gutenberg record #3763

In this second volume of Churchill's New England political novel, the narrator's voice shifts between dry humor and sharp observation as Jethro Bass maneuvers through legislative battles, while Cynthia Wetherell and her father navigate the opaque loyalties of Coniston.

Editorial Edition Score 4.5/5

★★★★★ ★★★★★

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Description quality20 pts
Title & short description10 pts
Source metadata20 pts
Text length15 pts
Chapters / structure15 pts
EPUB file integrity20 pts

Total of 100 points, scaled to a 2.5-5.0 range. Editions with an empty description or a missing EPUB file are not scored.

Edition quality

File: pg3763

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"Well, that's funny. I could have took oath I seed Rias Richardson here."

There was a deep silence.

"And Sam Price," continued Bijah, in pretended astonishment, "wahn't he settin' on the edge of the stoop when I drove up?"

Another silence, broken only by the enraged breathing of Chester, who was unable to retort. Moses Hatch laughed. The discreet departure of these gentlemen certainly had its comical side.

"Rias as indoostrious as ever, Mose?" inquired Bijah.

"He has his busy times," said Mose, grinning broadly.

"See you've got the boys with their backs up, Chester," said Bijah.

"Some of us are sick of tyranny," cried Chester; "you kin tell that to Jethro Bass when you go back, if he's got time to listen to you buyin' and sellin' out of railroads."

"Hear Jethro's got the Grand Gulf Road in his pocket to do as he's a mind to with," said Moses, with a view to drawing Bijah out. But the remark had exactly the opposite effect, Bijah screwing up his face into an expression of extraordinary secrecy and cunning.

"How much did you git out of it, Bije?" demanded Chester.

"Hain't looked through my clothes yet," said Bijah, his face screwed up tighter than ever. "N-never look through my clothes till I git home, Chester, it hain't safe."

It has become painfully evident that Mr. Bixby is that rare type of man who can sit down under the enemy's ramparts and smoke him out. It was a rule of Jethro's code either to make an effective departure or else to remain and compel the other man to make an ineffective departure. Lem Hallowell might have coped with him; but the stage was late, and after some scratching of heads and delving for effectual banter (through which Mr. Bixby sat genial and unconcerned), Chester's followers took their leave, each choosing his own pretext.

In the meantime William Wetherell had entered the store by the back door--unperceived, as he hoped. He had a vehement desire to be left in peace, and to avoid politics and political discussions forever--vain desire for the storekeeper of Coniston. Mr. Wetherell entered the store, and to take his mind from his troubles, he picked up a copy of Byron: gradually the conversation on the stoop died away, and just as he was beginning to congratulate himself and enjoy the book, he had an unpleasant sensation of some one approaching him measuredly. Wetherell did not move; indeed, he felt that he could not--he was as though charmed to the spot. He could have cried aloud, but the store was empty, and there was no one to hear him. Mr. Bixby did not speak until he was within a foot of his victim's ear. His voice was very nasal, too.

"Wetherell, hain't it?"

The victim nodded helplessly.

"Want to see you a minute."

"Where can we talk private?" asked Mr. Bixby, looking around.

"There's no one here," Wetherell answered. "What do you wish to say?"

"If the boys was to see me speakin' to you, they might git suspicious--you understand," he confided, his manner conveying a hint that they shared some common policy.

"I don't meddle with politics," said Wetherell, desperately.

"Exactly!" answered Bijah, coming even closer. "I knowed you was a level-headed man, moment I set eyes on you. Made up my mind I'd have a little talk in private with you--you understand. The boys hain't got no reason to suspicion you care anything about politics, have they?"

"You don't pay no attention to what they say?"

"Sometimes I can't help it."

"Ex'actly! You hear it."

"I told you I couldn't help it."

"Want you should vote right when the time comes," said Bijah. "D-don't want to see such an intelligent man go wrong an' be sorry for it--you understand. Chester Perkins is hare-brained. Jethro Bass runs things in this state."

"You understand," said Bijah, screwing up his face. "Guess your watch is a-comin' out." He tucked it back caressingly, and started for the door--the back door. Involuntarily Wetherell put his hand to his pocket, felt something crackle under it, and drew the something out. To his amazement it was a ten-dollar bill.

"Here!" he cried so sharply in his fright that Mr. Bixby, turned around. Wetherell ran after him. "Take this back!"

"Guess you got me," said Bijah. "W-what is it?"

"This money is yours," cried Wetherell, so loudly that Bijah started and glanced at the front of the store.

"Guess you made some mistake," he said, staring at the storekeeper with such amazing innocence that he began to doubt his senses, and clutched the bill to see if it was real.

Continue Reading →

The narrator of Coniston — Volume 02 establishes a distinctive, wry tone from the first chapter, describing the flitting Mr. Samuel Price as possessing a “ghostlike quality” that extends to his horse and wagon. This voice, at once amused and precise, colors the political machinations that follow. When Wetherell and Cynthia encounter the cryptic warning about “Bije,” the narrator steps in to explain Bijah Bixby’s rank in “the Jethro army” through an extended metaphor involving blackbirds and a Rajah, mixing folksy analogy with a knowing wink. The narrative pace shifts noticeably between these digressive, character-sketch passages and the taut, dialogue-driven scenes at the state capital, where Jethro’s silence about the Truro Franchise Bill creates a deliberate tension.

A Narrator Who Intervenes

The storytelling in this volume is marked by a narrator who freely interrupts the action to offer commentary. When Bijah Bixby first appears, the narrator confesses, “I do not know why I have dwelt so long on such a minor character as Bijah, except that the man fascinates me.” This direct address to the reader, rare in the earlier chapters, signals a shift toward a more reflective, essayistic style. The narrator’s asides often carry a dry humor: Bijah “used” tobacco, unlike Jethro, and his pocket was “full of proxies instead of rye.” These observations do not advance the plot but deepen the reader’s sense of the political ecosystem. The narrator also steps back to frame Jethro’s lieutenants in mock-heroic terms, comparing Bijah to a “Chamberlain” and Heth Sutton to a “creation.” Such passages slow the narrative, inviting the reader to savor the absurdities of patronage politics.

Silence and Suggestion in Dialogue

Churchill crafts dialogue that reveals character through what is left unsaid. When Mr. Price warns Wetherell not to hurry back, the exchange is terse: “Why not?” / “Bije has come over from Clovelly to spy around a little mite.” Wetherell’s ignorance of “Bije” is treated as “almost criminal” by the narrator, yet the reader is left to infer the threat. Later, Jethro’s responses are notably clipped. Asked about Lovejoy, he says only “N-name’s Lovejoy,” and when Cynthia asks if Miss Cassandra will marry the old man, Jethro replies, “G-guess not, if the old man can help it.” His habitual stammer and brevity contrast with the verbose Honorable Alvy Hopkins, who announces his gubernatorial ambitions without prompting. The dialogue thus becomes a tool for pacing: quick, opaque exchanges in Coniston give way to longer, more candid speeches at the capital, mirroring the shift from rural secrecy to open horse-trading.

Pace Shifts Between Country and Capital

The narrative moves between two distinct settings, each with its own rhythm. In Coniston, the pace is leisurely, filled with descriptive passages about the road, the woods, and the flitting buggy. The narrator takes time to explain local customs and characters, such as the “nasal Mr. Samuel Price.” At the state capital, however, the tempo accelerates. Scenes are shorter, dominated by dialogue and action: Jethro’s silent observation of Lovejoy and Miss Cassandra, the sudden appearance of Alvy Hopkins, and the looming deadline of the Truro Franchise Bill. The narrator’s digressions shrink, replaced by a focus on political maneuvering. This structural contrast underscores the tension between Jethro’s rural base and the urban arena where deals are made. The reader feels the pressure of the session’s final week, even as Jethro remains outwardly calm, a contrast that heightens the suspense.

Readers should attend to the narrator’s shifting distance from the characters. At times he is a confiding presence, at others a detached observer. The volume’s political intrigue is best understood not through grand speeches but through small gestures—Jethro’s silence, Bijah’s shadowing, Alvy’s moist handshake. These details, rather than the fate of the Truro Franchise Bill, carry the weight of the story.

There’s a certain loneliness in the way Churchill writes about loyalty—how it bends and holds in that old New England air. Reading Jethro’s maneuvering, I kept thinking of the quieter ache in Rebecca Mary — Themes and Context, where love is less a battle than a long, patient weather. Both feel like letters from a slower time.

Sophia Thompson

3 weeks ago

Carter Wright

2 weeks ago

3.5

3.5 out of 5 (2 User reviews )

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Gregory Rodriguez - 1 month ago

This book feels dated and overly verbose. The political commentary, while historically interesting, weighs down the narrative. The characters are underdeveloped, and the pacing is sluggish. I struggled to stay engaged and would only recommend it to hardcore history buffs.

Heather Lee - 3 weeks ago

This second volume of Coniston continues the story with remarkable depth and vivid historical detail. The characters feel so real, and the political intrigue kept me turning pages late into the night. If you love classic American literature with rich storytelling, this is a must-read.

Dustin Lee - 2 weeks ago

Coniston Volume 02 is a decent continuation, with a compelling plot and solid writing. However, the pacing slows down in the middle, and some subplots feel unresolved. Still, fans of the first volume will enjoy seeing how the story unfolds.