He had a goat (which he had taught to perform many tricks), a monkey, two dogs, some guinea pigs, and a cat or two—he had always displayed throughout his career a great partiality for animals—and he was an adept in taming them, and putting them through various performances for the amusement of himself, family, and friends.
Indeed he might have succeeded very well as a trainer of animals for performing purposes; as we have already signified he was clever in many ways, but his abilities, such as they were, went for nothing. They were over-shadowed and submerged by his passion for criminal pursuits.
Nevertheless, those who knew him best, and were in the constant habit of seeing, have declared that it was difficult, nay almost next to impossible, for any one to believe him to be a lawless and unprincipled ruffian, which was afterwards but too plainly proved.
He played at this time in the evenings at various public-houses in Sheffield. He had taught his goat to stand on its hind legs and dance to the sound of his violin.
This little animal is said to have been a most docile and amusing creature, and Peace made a considerable amount of money by its antics.
He was always welcomed at the public-houses he was accustomed to visit, and made a great many friends, but he lost them as soon as made, for there was nothing reliable in the man, and it was, therefore, impossible for any one to place much faith in him.
CHAPTER LXXVI.
THE ROBBERY AT MESSRS. ARNISON AND CO.’S.
For some considerable time Peace appeared to be leading a respectable sort of life. His violin-playing in the evening, and the commissions he executed in the way of picture-framing and other odd jobs, brought him in sufficient for his immediate wants, but this did not content him.
He must have a turn at some house, and lay his hands on all he could conveniently carry away.