The document is a summary of the comic ghost story "A Shady Plot" by Elsie Brown, which follows author John Hallock as he faces unexpected interference from a ghost named Helen, who informs him that ghosts are on strike due to excessive use of ouija boards. John's attempts to write a new ghost story are complicated by misunderstandings stemming from his wife's interest in ouija boards, leading to humorous situations that strain their marriage. Ultimately, the story highlights John's realization of his dependence on supernatural inspiration and the implications it has on his life.

2. Introduction
„A Shady Plot‟ by Elsie brown is a comic ghost story. It does not depict
the element of horror like other ghost stories. Rather it is an amusing
story about an author John Hallock. His supernatural stories about ghosts
are quite popular with the public. He is asked to write another such story
for a magazine. When he is thinking hard about the plot of the story, a
ghost Helen appeared. She told him that the ghosts were on strike
because too many people use Ouija Boards. John‟s wife Lavinia buys an
Ouija board and arranges an Ouija board party with her friends. She
persuades John to be a partner of Miss Laura Hinkle. There is created
misunderstanding when on the Ouija board „traitor‟ for John is written by
the Helen. In the end Lavinia sees Helen, who is a ghost. Her
misunderstanding is removed.

3. About the Author
Elsie Brown was born on January 2,
1870. She died in Oklahoma on
November 11, 1965. She is buried at
Fort Coffee Cemetery in Spiro, Oklahoma.

4. Characters
The characters of The Shady Plot are :-
(1) John Hallock (Narrator)
(2) Lavinia Hallock (John's wife)
(3) Jenkins (John‟s Boss)
(4) Helen (Lady Ghost),
(5) Laura Hinkle (Lavinia's Friend) &
(6) Gladolia (Maid)

5. Summary of the chapter
Helen while in human form was an unsuccessful writer. As a ghost she found
others who were like her. They would look for writers in search of ideas. Then
the case was brought to the attention of the main office.

6. One of them is deputed to help that writer. She claimed that previously she had
been inspiring John with ideas to write but now the ghosts has decided to go on
strike. They would not come to inspire the writers now.
The ghost of Helen told John that the cause of strike was the Ouija board fanatics.
The ghosts of have to sit at a desk and answer question of the Ouija board owners.
They have become so busy now that they can hardly go to haunt now. She told John
to use his good influence and help her. He should get all of his friends and
acquaintances to stop using the Ouija board, and then the ghosts will start helping
him again. Thereafter the ghost of Helen disappeared.
Just then John‟s wife entered the room. She asked him why he was sitting in the
dark. She told John that she had bought a fancy Ouija board. He was stunned to
hear it. He tells his wife Lavinia to get rid of the Ouija board and buy something
else. But she refuses to do so.
John tried to write a ghost story; however, he was unable to do so. The next
Saturday, here remained extremely busy till evening . When he reached home the
maid Gladolia informed that Lavinia was arranging Ouija board party in the home.

7. In the little parlour of the home women were sitting in couples. Between
each couple was an Ouija board, Lavinia came to John and persuaded him to
be a partner of Miss Laura Hinkle. A lady at the last moment had shown
her inability to come.
Unwillingly, John had to be Laura‟s partner. She held his hands and held
them in the desired position. The little board began to slide around .Laura
asked the board to tell them something. On the board the word „traitor‟
appeared. The board continued to spell.

8. It indicated that the Traitor was John and her name was Helen. Five Ouija
boards started calling John by name. Lavinia looked at John as if he was an
insect. John got up and fled from there. He did not know how that party
ended. He came to his room and went to sleep at three O‟clock.
Next morning Lavinia was not present at the breakfast table. John went to
the library for another try at a ghost story. There he got a slip of paper
Lavinia had written to John that she was going back to her grandmother.
She wrote that her lawyer would communicate with John later.
John cried, “O, I wish I was dead!” He again heard that horrible voice of
Helen‟s ghost.
John asked her why she had appeared like that in his room. She told him
that she was sent to ask when his wife was going to get rid of that Ouija
board. John told her that it was because of her he had lost his wife. Then
from outside Gladolia, their servant announced that she was going to quither
job. She did not like hoodoos. John told Helen‟s ghost that she had lost him
his cook.

9. Then the door opened and Lavinia entered. She was carrying a suitcase. She
set down the suit-case on the floor. John leapt from his chair and sprang in
front of her. She did not look at him or behind him. Lavinia told him that
she had come to tell him that she was leaving. He said that it was fine .She
said that he was behaving in a strange manner. She told John that he was
concealing something from her. Then Gladolia told Lavinia that she was going
to leave that place because of the Ouija board .The maid said that she
would never touch it. John volunteers to burn it.
Lavinia insisted that John was concealing or hiding somebody there. She said
that she would see. Who was behind him? She asked where that Helen was.
The ghost of Helen appeared and said she was Helen. The Ghost of Helen
disappeared. Lavinia fell into her husband‟s arms. John felt a sudden desire
to write. He cried that he got an excellent plot for a ghost story.

10. ANALYSIS
The story is about a man who starts getting cocky about
his ability to bring forth ghost stories at his will and how
he copes with the situation when he realises that he
gets (the unwilling) help from a real ghost. the ghost
demands a favour from him which he is unable to fulfill.
The ghost then plays havoc with his married life leading
to various comic situations.

11. QUE : The title of the story is a Shady Plot. The dictionary
defines the words as:
ANS: Shady adjective

17. QUE : How does the narrator describe Helen ?
ANS : Helen seemed to materialize out of thin
air . She was long and angular in structure .
She was wearing a big bone rimmed spectacle
and had fishy eyes . Her hair was tied in a
tight wad at the back of her head . She had an
angry expression on her face . She was wearing
a stiff white shirt waist and a plaid skirt .

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