Why had Helen, the ghost been helping the narrator write ghost stories? Why was she going on strike? What condition did she place for providing continued help?
Helen tells the narrator that she used to be a writer and then a magazine reader in her ‘other life’. This led her to start ‘The Writers’ Inspiration Bureau’ in her afterlife to help out writers who lack new ideas for writing stories. She helped the narrator to write ghost stories as he would often call on heaven and earth to help him for ideas.
Helen and co-ghosts were going on a strike because they were tired of answering questions of Ouija board fanatics. They felt they were disturbed too often to answer silly questions. She urged the narrator to influence his friends and acquaintances to stop using the Ouija board. It was on this condition she promised to help the narrator to write stories.