Belle and the Carousel By: Lauran G. Strait. Page 2/5
Belle's route took her along the familiar streets of the Louisiana town where she'd lived all her life, to the high-school football field decorated with colorful tents, booths, and kiddie-rides. Passing under scarlet pennants, she ran the final few yards.
The rumble of generators competed with the barker's chanting. Belle hurried past both, focusing on the sound of a calliope. Beyond the cotton-candy stall was a carousel, decorated with golden-haired angels and winged unicorns passing through wispy clouds. Twenty-four multi-colored horses with perky tails and flowing manes galloped past, a frozen stampede charging forward without progressing.
The steeds' frantic bounding slowed to a trot, then stopped. Belle settled into the saddle of the nearest horse and wrapped one arm around the pole. Her other arm squeezed the purse hanging from her shoulder. For more than a month she'd saved her allowance—ten-cents a week—and money earned from collecting bottles. Now, she had four shiny quarters.
"Twenty-five cents," a wiry teenager said. His reversed baseball cap and long hair resembled the manes of the horses in his charge.
As Belle handed him one of her coins, a girl about Belle's age stared at them. Her clothes were filthy and ragged and her hair looked even grubbier. Belle squirmed inside her freshly laundered clothing.
The carousel shuddered into motion. Belle's horse rose then swooped down as the ponies started their first circuit. The scenery moved past slowly, but gained speed.
When Belle reached the starting point, the urchin's gaze was still locked on her.
Belle looked away again, concentrating on the speed of her mount, thrilling at the wind blowing her hair. The ride whirled faster. Each time round, the girl still stared.
Too soon, the horse's gallop slowed to a glide. It halted by the girl, and Belle clambered off.
"You getting on?" Belle offered her horse.
"Just looking." The girl, arms crossed, shivered. Her dark eyes, like hooded railroad lanterns, provided no illuminating insight [this is nicely worded, but "illuminating insight" doesn't quite fit with the simpler language you've used throughout][answer as to who she was or why she was shivering?].
"Are you cold?"
"A little." The girl shuddered again.
Belle held out her sweater.
"Thanks." She wrapped the garment round her bony shoulders.
"You're welcome. You with the carnival?"
"Just visiting. When I heard the calliope, I thought I'd come look. Sure's a beauty, isn’t she?" The girl patted the horse's head.
“Yes, she is,” Belle said, reaching inside her purse.
"Take this, please. Have a ride." She dropped a quarter into the girl's dirty palm.
The girl raised her eyebrows. "Jeepers, thanks. Nobody's ever given me anything." She scrambled onto Belle's horse. "You'll never know what this means." Smile spread across her face, she waved as the carousel started.