Late in October, when the corn has matured and been stacked in the barn, the following informal invitations may be sent out to all the neighboring young people:

You are cordially invited
to a Corn Husking to be held in
Martin Mattice's Barn
On the evening of October the thirty-first
at eight o'clock.

Previous to the evening mentioned the ears of corn are stripped from the stalks and formed into two huge piles upon the barn floor. Lanterns should be hung here and there upon the beams to give the necessary light, and stools provided for the workers. The company, on arrival, is divided equally, one half being assigned to one pile, the other half to pile number two, and the contest begins, each division striving to finish its pile first. The husks must be entirely removed from each ear, and whoever first discloses to view a red ear is considered especially fortunate, as the first red ear shown is supposed to bring good luck to its possessor.

After all the ears have been husked the winner of the red ear is escorted in state to the house, where a warm fire (always an open one, if possible) and a supper are waiting.

Corn Supper

Decorate the walls of the room in which the supper is to be served with as much green as can be procured at this season of the year. Procure a dozen pumpkins, remove the pulp, cutting a hole at the top of the shell; cut also four stars in the sides of each pumpkin, cover with light yellow paper and place candles inside. These lanterns, being set in various convenient spots about the room and lighted just before the supper is served, shed a corn-colored glow over the room. In the centre of the table arrange a vase filled with any late autumn yellow flowers—dahlias, chrysanthemums or marigolds; place candles at each end of the table screened by yellow crepe paper shades. The refreshments may consist of egg and lemon-butter sandwiches, cornbread, chicken salad, sponge cake, gold cake, lemon ice cream and lemon water ice, cup custards, honey in the comb, lemonade and coffee.