Constance Trescot

"Constance Trescot" by S. Weir Mitchell is a novel written in the early 20th century. It follows Union veteran George Trescot and the ardent Constance Hood from a Boston engagement into a precarious new life in a Southern river town, where land disputes, resentful squatters, and the aftershocks of the Civil War strain their marriage. The story probes love, pride, faith versus skepticism, and the moral costs of money and obstinacy—especially through Constance’s domineering uncle, Rufus Hood. The opening of this novel traces George’s awkward courtship negotiations with Rufus in Massachusetts, the witty mediation of Constance’s sister Susan, and the couple’s swift engagement born of a chance meeting that exposed George’s war wound. Rufus grudgingly “yields” by tying Constance’s support to George’s accepting his land agency in St. Ann, Missouri; after counsel and a heartfelt letter, George agrees, and the pair marry. In St. Ann they are welcomed by General and Mrs. Averill and, to their surprise, find a modest house arranged as a gift, yet the town’s reserve and a looming lawsuit over valuable riverfront land signal trouble; a dark, formidable lawyer, Greyhurst, stands on the opposing side. Churchgoing reveals Constance’s first exposure to ritual, hinting at her uncle-shaped unbelief against George’s steady faith. When notices to evict long-term squatters spark menace, a thunderstorm brings a rifle shot at George; the next day Constance, acting alone, confronts the lame marksman, Tom Coffin, and brokers peace—offering work and a path to a fair settlement—returning home elated to share how she may have saved her husband’s life and eased his task.

Summary written by Project Gutenberg, by machine.