Date:  Sat, 4 Feb 1995 02:55:51 CST

From:  "Donald M. Lance" <ENGDL[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]MIZZOU1.BITNET>

Subject: Re: 3 Lexicographic Queries



Cakewalks were common folk events at dances in 19th century America, on

into the middle of the 20th in some communities. At some point in the

evening the males would march (to music) around a table that had pastries

brought by the females and when the band stopped or gave some sort of

signal the males stopped and each had to buy the item of pastry in front

of him. I recall seeing this in the 1940s in Texas.  There are variants

of this event, as with all folk events.



Rather than being an American expression the verb 'to draft' would be a

technical term for a somewhat recent practice in American banking. Many

Americans are reluctant to allow banks to set up automatic payments to

businesses, perhaps because of the number of bank failures during the

Depression of the 1930s. "Drafting" could also apply to a single

transaction by means of a bank draft, now more likely to be done

electronically. I think Americans may do less "drafting" than Europeans

and Brits do.

               DMLance