hed houses of shame by statute, and
filled them with slave girls for whom there was no possible escape. But
whoever, man or woman, caused a freeborn Athenian girl to enter one of
the houses incurred the penalty of death. It might be well if freeborn
American girls were as thoroughly protected. An Athenian forfeited his
citizenship on opening a house of shame. American citizenship in our
large cities allows the white slave traders an astounding amount of
political influence.

ROME.

In Rome immoral women were enrolled by the police in a public register,
and this public record of their evil life always remained to bar their
way to repentance and respectability. Modern European cities, on the
Continent, follow this hurtful custom, and it has been introduced
without authority of law in some American cities.

Many bakers, barbers and keepers of taverns, baths and drug stores were
also traders in women. These depraved traffickers were regarded with the
greatest loathing by the Roman people. The white slave traders of
ancient Rome probably differed little from the Italian traders to be
found in so many parts of the world today, notably New York and
Chicago. The poet Milton tells how his love of purity kept him in his
youth from the evils practised at Bordello's, presumably an Italian
resort in London. Persons desiring to know the trader's boasting over a
young and beautiful girl who had come into his devilish power, will find
it described in the old English play commonly attributed to Shakespeare,
called "Pericles, Prince of Tyre."

An exceedingly bad example was set by some of the Roman emperors.
Augustus even in his old age sent out men to bring him women and girls.
The beautiful Mallonia stabbed herself rather than yield to the emperor
Tiberius.

The emperor Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, who was very virtuous and
religious and wise according to Roman ideals, persecuted Christians to
the extent of legally condemning Christian girls to the houses of
infamy. Young women were seized and required to sacrifice to idols. Upon
refusing they were dragged through the streets and given to a white
slaver.

Some beautiful legends have been preserved which tell of miraculous
deliverance of Christian girls from this most Satanic cruelty. St.
Agnes, the story runs, was seized and stripped, but immediately her hair
grew quickly and covered her like a garment. Dragged to a den of shame,
she appeared transfigured, a wonderful light shi