That some cities now want to rename their Trump Towers brings to mind the
following letter by MT, which Barbara Schmidt helped me find:

"It is indeed a high compliment which you offer me in naming an association
after me and in proposing the setting apart of a Mark Twain Day at the
great St. Louis fair, but such compliments are not proper for the living,
they are proper and safe for the dead only. I value the impulse which moves
you to tender me these honors; I value it as highly as anyone can, and am
grateful for it, but I should stand in a sort of terror of the honors
themselves. So long as we remain alive we are not safe from doing things
which, howsoever righteously and honorably intended, can wreck our repute
and extinguish our friendships. I hope that no society will be named for me
while I am still alive, for I might at some time or other do something
which could cause its members to regret having done me that honor. After I
shall have joined the dead I shall follow the custom of those people and be
guilty of no conduct that can wound any friend; but until that time shall
come I shall be a doubtful quantity, like the rest of our race."
S. L. Clemens
- letter to Thomas F. Gatts of Hannibal, MO, 30 May 1903.
Reprinted in *Hartford Courant*, 5 June 1903

On Tue, Apr 19, 2016 at 4:11 PM, McAvoy Layne <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Dear friends of Samuel,
>
> I=E2=80=99m about to launch a site=E2=80=A6
>
> =E2=80=9CWhat Might Mark Twain Say=E2=80=9D
>
> whatmightmarktwainsay.com
>
> pertaining to relevance of SLC today,
>
> and would ask your feedback,
>
> as I value your ruminations=E2=80=A6
>
> McAvoy =F0=9F=A4=90
>
> McAvoy Layne
> ghostoftwain.com
> Email: [log in to unmask]
> PO Box 4522
> Incline Village, NV 89450
> 775-833-1835
>
> Diligently train your ideals upward toward a summit
> where you will find your chiefest pleasure in conduct,
> which while contenting you,
> will be sure to confer benefits upon your neighbor and the community.
> -Mark Twain
>