Bassett was deeply engaged in all the manoeuvres, and Harwood was dispatched frequently on errands to county chairmen, and his aid was welcomed by the literary bureau of the state committee.

He prepared a speech whose quality he tested at small meetings in his own county, and his efforts having been favorably received he acted as a supply to fill appointments where the regular schedule failed.

Toward the end of the campaign his assignments increased until all his time was taken.

By studying his audiences he caught the trick of holding the attention of large crowds; his old college sobriquet of "Foghorn" Harwood had been revived and the newspapers mentioned his engagements with a casualness that implied fame.

He enjoyed his public appearances, and the laughter and applause were sweet to him.
After the election Bassett admonished him not to neglect the law.
"I want you to make your way in the profession," he said, "and not let my affairs eat up all your time.