A servant, Mary Jane, starts her early morning chores by attempting to light the fire and to polish a pair of boots. When she examines herself in the mirror she finds she has boot polish over her face. Meanwhile the fire has gone out. She pours paraffin into the grate and puts a match to it.

The ensuing explosion projects Mary Jane up the chimney and into the sky, from where her remains fall to earth. The headstone on her grave reads "Here lies Mary Jane, who lighted the fire with parrafin". An old lady and several maids weep in front of the grave. Mary Jane's ghost appears and fightens them off. Clutching a paraffin can, the ghost returns to the grave.

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