I was probably simply referring to the tendency, particularly in comic books and other 'informal' literature, for the American spelling to go: thru

THRU is a COBOL reserved word. I've been using it for years and its use has spared me from lots of typing errors.

_______BYE-BYE.
_______________PERFORM END-THIS-POST THRU XEND-THIS-POST.
_______________STOP RUN.
______***
_______END-THIS-POST.
_______________DISPLAY "Juan Maria."
_______XEND-THIS-POST.
_______________EXIT.