History of Northampton, Massachusetts, from its settlement in 1654;

CHAPTER XLIII.
SAW MILL—MINISTERS SALARY—COMMON LANDS.
Prosperity Returns. RELIEVED of military pressure, things
soon resumed tlieir normal condition in the
Connecticut valley. During the next ten years the quiet
avocations of peace absorbed the energies of the people,
and prosperity once more showered its blessings upon the
land. Everywhere the inhabitants were industriously solving
the life problem of the hour : —endeavoring to pay
taxes, to "make both ends meet," and to recover the losses
attendant upon the recent disastrous times. In an agricul-
tural community like that of Northampton, little of exciting
interest or of more than ordinary note can be anticipa-
ted. Grave and sober citizens with little beyond the daily
struggle for existence to enter into their lives, do not make
history rapidly, or prominently mark its eras with stirring-
events. Within this period only the usual affairs of the
community, such as have already formed the staple of this
narrative, come into prominence, and the monotony of the
records is but slightly varied.
Topics of momcutous interest to the inliab-
Ordinary Topics
Engross Atten- itauts of that day have but slight attraction
for modern readers. Yet they are links in
the chain of events that connect the present with the past,
and are neither valueless nor uninstructive. As noted year
by year, they serve to portray the character of the times
and indicate the general growth and tendency of the pub-
lic mind. Everywhere will be noticed the necessity for
economy, as well in the conduct of municipal affairs as in
the more minute details of private life. The country had
not yet recovered from the financial embarrassments occa-