Los leoneses - Brothers from León

Hilarino Teófilo Arias (1899-1943)
Natural de Felechas, provincia de León (España), arribó a Río Gallegos en 1921, buscando reunirse con su hermano Eutimio, y al desembarcar fue informado que éste, en la víspera, había caído fusilado en Lago Argentino por los piquetes antihuelguistas del Teniente Coronel Várela.
Muy joven, en suelo extraño, con sólo una moneda de oro de 25 pesetas por toda riqueza y efecto, legado de su madre al partir y que conservó por siempre, emprendió la lucha por la subsistencia.
El tiempo lo vio como vendedor ambulante, atendiendo un almacén de ramos generales después, y finalmente aco-piador de frutos del país, alcanzando cierta fortuna.
Encaró la vida con valor y fe y armó su familia, pero al leonés el destino le resultaría aciago.
Quebrantada su salud por los crudos inviernos de ca-mionero, su vida se extinguió tempranamente, sin pedir ni dar cuartel en la batalla silenciosa por sobrevivir.
Breve y amarga es la historia de estos hermanos, que llegaron un día al país de la libertad y jamás pudieron regresar a su España natal.
De los recuerdos de familia.




Hilarino Teófilo Arias (1899-1943)
Native of Felechas in the Spanish province León, he arrived in Río Gallegos in 1921 seeking to reunite himself with his brother Eutimio. On disembarking he was informed that his brother had been shot in the vicinity of lake Argentino by the firing squad of Lt. Col. Varela's anti-strike picketers.
Very young, in a strange land, he started out on the struggle for subsistence, with nothing but a gold 25 peseta coin as all his worldly goods, a keepsake from his mother on parting and which he kept for ever.
Time saw him work as a street vendor, later serving in a general store, and finally he became a wholesaler of fruit, vegetables and other fresh produce from scattered small-holdings and farms throughout the country as well as locally, and achieving a degree of wealth.
He faced life with courage and faith and formed his own family, but destiny turned out to be unkind to this man from León.
His health was broken by the harsh winters driving far and wide collecting the fresh produce for his wholesale business, and his life was extinguished early, without his ever seeking a respite from the silent uncomplaining battle for survival.
Brief and bitter is the history of these brothers who one day reached the country of freedom but were never abte to return to their native Spain.
From family memories.