The age-herald., 1897-10-07
BROWNING CORN AS KING.
The Unique Prairie Idea of Harvest Celebra-
 tion-How it is Conducted.
From the New York Post.

II
 Atchison Kan, Oct. 5-Once a year the 1Sunfiower State grows enthusiastic
 over the glory of it's corn crop and pro- ceeds to celebrate the harvesting. This city has for the past three years been the centre Of the corn celebrations, and its corn carnival, to which 1t devotes g. day and night, is one of the uniqe feat llres of the west. The idea is to have
 a good time with corn as the central feature, and it is done in ways that are astonishing to those who are not famil- jar with the possibilities of the cereal. The variety of methods in which the grain and husks can be utilized are many, and the citizens are all the year trying to mako the event overshadow the celebrations of the previous times. The principal point on which the most stress is laid is decoration of the town, and it is made very beautiful. The stores use hundreds of ears of corn in making designs that will attract the attention of the passers-by, and there are on the streets strange creatures made Of the grain that seem impossible to the nov ice. The young ladies make out of the husks the most bewitching bonnets and capes, and wear them through the day, and the young men even get up jackets and hats that rival the fair sex in in- genuity and attractNeness. Even the horses are decorated. and one might think that the town was all in the corn business 50 generally is the place given up to the festival The thousands of visitors always have a. good time and they are invited to make themselves at home, without money and without price, At the most there is only a small charge made at the booths for the meals, in order that no one may think that he is badly used in the city.
 The day is spent in sightseeing and the games at the park. The band of the city is aided by "a dozen or more bands from the neighboring cities, and they all give concert at the park in the afternoon. There is no speaking whatever, although there are many re- quests that the rule shall be broken in order that the political parties may take advantage of the crowds fin the city. There is no program either, dn the usual acceptance of the term, only that all shall be happy and have a decent re- spect for the opinions of others.
 The fun comes at m.gQM When taae Nights are abhaze and the streets are shining in the glory of corn decora- hlons, the young people-and tife old for tIha't matterogo out with pockets full of corn kennebs, and woe be it to the passer who is not ready ito take his own part. Where in the Agardi Gras there is shower of confection or flowers, here is one of corn, and fhe handfull5 that are rlhrown among tlhe crowds soon make the streets a cracking pandemonium There is a prize offered ito the farmer who will drive down the street with d1ls wagon filled with corn and have any Of it left when he arrives at the opposite end. tSo far mo orc has been able to claim the prize. There is licensa of ithe fullest sorit during the night, and the police are theoretically locked up un il Of course, whsn the fun grows too fboisterous there is a stop agut fo 9t, but that is somdlhing that does not hap pen very os6ten With horns and corn, the parade goes up and down, laughing and shouting, and the corn decorations be- gin to suffer. One after another they are pulled down and are used to aanuse- the people, ard iIhere are few stores that saye inc trouble of taking down taedr decoratioms in the morning. The streets become yerttable mills for the. grinding of the corn, and after the crowd 1las been on them all the evening the corn is ground into four Bushels are gathered in the morning, and many of the poor are glad to get this corn for food.
 The greatest fun is over the red ears, for the young men insist falaf the good old custom that they shall be allowed to kiss the girls under ithe red ear is stiil in force-anh they abide by Cts rznlss, itoo. One grain buyer this year houg'ht a large load of red ears at a Fancy price to sell again to the young men. and they were all disposed of
 The state has a good right to be proud of the corn this year, for there is good crop. and the pfdce is above that of many years. The state board of agriculture estimates that fhere will be 160, 100000 bushels of the y'elRow grain. and there are hundreds of Thousands of bushels al- ready in the cribs carried over from Hast year. Corn is tho best crop that the Kansas farmer raises. for he can feed 1t to his stock and be sure Of getting from it a good reiarrn. He has no fear of a low price even tn the off years. The present crop is not the same as the fam olns one of 1889. when 00,0oO.000 bushels were raised, but 1t Is much better fham that of last year. The corn carnivaas have the merit of nlalding tfe people realize the benefit of the cereal, and they find thai1 there is sure to be produced here grain fdaak has some of the teau-