wild and romantic end will probably interest the many
readers who have known him; at all events, the narrative will serve as a
specimen of the lawless career of many who resort to the western
wilderness.

Some forty-four years ago, a Spanish trader had settled among a tribe of
the Tonquewas [The Tonquewas tribe sprung from the Comanches many years
ago.], at the foot of the Green Mountains. He had taken an Indian
squaw, and was living there very comfortably, paying no taxes, but
occasionally levying some, under the shape of black mail, upon the
settlements of the province of Santa Fe. In one excursion, however, he
was taken and hung, an event soon forgotten both by Spaniards and
Tonquewas. He had left behind him, besides a child and a squaw,
property to a respectable amount; the tribe took his wealth for their
own use, but cast away the widow and her offspring. She fell by chance
into the hands of a jolly though solitary Canadian trapper, who, not
having the means of selecting his spouse, took the squaw for better and
for worse.

In the meantime the young half-breed grew to manhood, and early
displayed a wonderful capacity for languages. The squaw died, and the
trapper, now thinking of the happy days he had passed among the
civilised people of the East, resolved to return thither, and took with
him the young half-breed, to whom by long habit he had become attached.
They both came to St. Louis, where the half-breed soon learned enough of
English to make himself understood, and one day, having gone with his
"father-in-law" to pay a visit to the Osages, he murdered him on the
way, took his horse, fusil, and sundries, and set up for himself.

For a long time he was unsuspected, and indeed, if he had been, he cared
very little about it. He went from tribe to tribe, living an indolent
life, which suited his taste perfectly; and as he was very necessary to
the Indians as an interpreter during their bartering transactions with
the Whites, he was allowed to do just as he pleased. He was, however,
fond of shifting from tribe to tribe, and the traders seeing him now
with the Pawnies or the Comanches, now with the Crows or the Tonquewas,
gave him the surname of "Turn-over," which name, making a summerset,
became Over-turn, and by corruption, Overton.

By this time every body had discovered that Overton was a great
scoundrel, but as he was useful, the English company from Canada
employed him, paying him very high wages.