Passage V

An Endangered Amusement

While on vacation recently, I was surprised to see an antique carousel in a modern shopping mall. (61) Though it had been years since I had ridden one of these merry-go-rounds, I instinctively did what I would of done as a girl: I searched for "my" horse. This time, it is a handsome cream-colored steed on the outside row, with brightly painted gear that glittered with jewels. Although he gems were fake, they caught my eye, just as the designers had planned.

[1] Once in the saddle, I admired the other details of my horse: the carved wooden mane, the bared teeth, and the tail made of real horsehair. [2] When I reached down tor the reins, I noticed the most stunning feature of my horse: its eyes. [3] Eerily real, they gave me the impression that somebody inhabited that wooden frame and was looking back at me. [4] As I waited for the ride to begin, children appeared from nowhere. [5] With excitement in their voices, they chose their mounts, a challenging process for them, or so it seemed. [6] At last, the bell clanged, the lights came on, and the music began. [7] The animals moved smoothly up and down as the carousel began to turn. [8] I glanced to my left and noticed a little girl next to me, probably about seven years old. [9] Her eyes sparkled, and, fists on her hips, she announced to no one in particular, "Look! No hands!" (71)

He had the answers to some of my questions, and we had a pleasant talk. I strolled over to talk to the operator, he explained that this carousel had been designed, carved, and built in 1906 by Charles Looff. I read on a plaque nearby that over 5,000 carousels had been built by artisans, including Looff, between 1880 and 1939 the golden age of carousels. Now there are fewer than 175 hand-carved wooden carousels still operating in the United States. Many of them like this one, feature not just horses but also lions, giraffes, zebras, and elephants. They all deserve to be kept running forever.