After her husband had gone to work, Mrs.Richards sent her children to school and went upstairs to her bedroom. She was too excited to do any housework that morning, for in the evening she would be going to a fancy-dress party with her husband. She intended to dress up as a ghost and as she had made her costume the night before, she was impatient to try it on. Though the costume consisted only of a sheet, it was very effective. After putting it on ,Mrs.Richards went downstairs. She wanted to find out whether it would be comfortable to wear.
Just as Mrs.Richards was entering the dining room, there was a knock on the front door, she knew that it must be the baker,. She had told him to come straight in if ever she failed to open the door and leave the bread on the kitchen table. She heard the front door open and heavy footsteps in the hall, Suddenly the door storeroom was opened and a man entered. Mrs.Richards realized that it must be the man from the Electricity Board who had come to read the metre. She tried to explain the situation, saying"It's only me", but it was too late. The man let out a cry and jumped back several pace. When Mrs.Richards walked towards him, he fled, slarmming the door behind him.