Some good angel must have been watching over him, for, though his body had suffered, his soul seemed to have taken little harm, and came ashore as innocent as a shipwrecked baby.

Perhaps his love of music kept it sweet in spite of the discord all about him; Mr.Laurie said so, and he ought to know.

However that might be, Father Bhaer took pleasure in fostering poor Nat's virtues, and in curing his faults, finding his new pupil as docile and affectionate as a girl.

He often called Nat his "daughter" when speaking of him to Mrs.Jo, and she used to laugh at his fancy, for Madame liked manly boys, and thought Nat amiable but weak, though you never would have guessed it, for she petted him as she did Daisy, and he thought her a very delightful woman.
One fault of Nat's gave the Bhaers much anxiety, although they saw how it had been strengthened by fear and ignorance.

I regret to say that Nat sometimes told lies.