Who Nicholas Vedder is
Nicholas Vedder keeps the inn in the Dutch village below the Catskill Mountains. He presides over the daily gathering of idlers on the inn's bench. The company passes long days reading old newspapers and discussing news from far away.
Nicholas Vedder and the others in the story
Rip Van Winkle finds a refuge at the inn, away from his wife's scolding. When she comes to the inn, she scolds the whole company, so even this refuge offers Rip no lasting escape.
Questions
Who is Nicholas Vedder in Rip Van Winkle?
Nicholas Vedder is the landlord who presides over the village inn's gathering of idlers.
How does Nicholas Vedder relate to Rip?
Vedder presides over the company that Rip joins at the inn when he seeks relief from trouble at home.
What happens at Nicholas Vedder's inn?
The idlers sit on a bench, read old newspapers and talk about distant news. Dame Van Winkle interrupts their gathering to scold them.