I don’t know whether you know her or not. Perhaps you do. Anyway, you probably know someone like her. This little girl that I know used to think that she knew everything and she was only-8 years old.
When she daddy told her anything she would say “I know that.” Or if Mummy pointed out something new in a shop window she would say, “Oh! I have seen that before. She just would not admit that there was anything she didn’t know. It was quite impossible to surprise her with anything. If you took her to town and bought her something like a new umbrella for her birthday and then asked her afterward if she was pleased with it, she would say, “Well, I thought I was going to get an umbrella, anyway.
Of course, nobody liked to take her anywhere. If people came to her house and wanted to give the children a treat, they would whisper to her daddy “I think we will only take the boys this time”. Of course, they were too polite to say what they thought of the little girl but Daddy knew what was the matter.
One day there was great excitement in the home of “Miss-I-know-that”. Daddy had announced that he was going to take her to London all by herself. How pleased she was! And to think that she was the only one going!
On the way, her daddy tried to cheer her up by pointing out all the things that most little girls would be glad to see.
“I know that,” she said,”I remember seeing that before. At last, Daddy got tired and changed his mind by saying, “Supposing, you were to lose me in London.” What would you do? ”
“Oh, go home,” she said as she did not care.
“But how can you? “asked Daddy”.
“Oh just go to the station and get a train.”
“But how would you know the way?”
“Oh, well, that’s easy; I know that.”
An hour later they were in London.
There were crowds of people hurrying about but the little girl didn’t seem to notice them. She was too interested in a statue at the top of the pillar. She did not like to admit that this was something new to her, but at last, she turned round to ask Daddy all about it.
She stopped and looked around for Daddy-but there was no Daddy to be seen.
“Daddy!”She shouted.
No answer.
“Daddeeee!”
Still there was no reply. Daddy had gone and she was alone.
Then she began to cry. After a little while policeman came across her and asked very kindly, “What is the matter?”
“I’m lost! “She sobbed.”
“Lost! Why, who were you with?”
“My Daddy, and he’s gone!”
“Gone where?
“I do not know, she said still crying.”
“Where do you live?”
“I do not know.”
“Then come along with me.”
“No, I do not want to go to the police station.”
Soon her Daddy came there and she was very happy.
“Oh, Daddy, where did you go and leave me here?” she asked.” You see, “said Daddy,” I only wanted to see whether you really did know the way home as you said you did.”
And even after that when she was tempted to say, “I know that” she thought of the policeman and did not say it.
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