This paragraph opens with the last day of the old year.--The cold that stiffened Mr. Brown's neck, and choked up his throat has thawed; his nose has resumed its accustomed hue; his temper is unusually good in the prospect of vacating his room, and beginning the year with redoubled energy. Mrs. Brown is preparing for something important; and, from the delicate scented note you observed inserted in our chimney-glass-frame--the one with the Brown crest, a rampant locomotive proper, and motto of "Go-a-head" (which, between ourselves, was _found_ by a very subtle seal-engraver in Change Alley);--from that, and the remarks of Master Brown, when we called this morning, you may pretty well judge:--he said Jemy. wrote such a lot o' letters the other day; that they have a pillow-case filled with oranges--quite a sack-full; and, moreover, his Ma'. just was clever--for she said she could kill two parties with one chandelier, and make rout-seats hold double! The fact is, Mrs. Brown intends to give a ball on the 4th of January, and a juvenile party on the 5th--the former to be extra-superb, on account of the De Camps; who, of course, are expected--having received an invitation by post. We wonder the Browns did not write to invite themselves; for John passed the Albert door in taking the Captain's letter to the post, and the preparations were as much under the guidance of those worthies as of the Browns themselves. The boudoir is in a litter--all cuttings of satin and book muslin,--in the midst of which may be seen pretty Miss Bib and little Madame Tucker, very busily employed--Lady Lucretia de Camp proffering advice; and superintending the construction of an amber satin, covered with black lace--a dress that Mrs. Brown thought to wear, but felt obliged to resign, so much did her kind patron, Lady de Camp, dote upon it.