JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground

HTML

<!--
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/Fk8A9.png"/>
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/B3Z4K.png"/>
-->

<div id="container">
<div class="box">
    <h2>First box</h2>
    <p>To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?</p>
</div>
<div class="box">
    <h2>Second box</h2>
    <p>To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?</p>
</div>
<div class="box">
    <h2>Third box</h2>
    <p>To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?</p>
</div>
    
<div style="clear: both;"></div>
    
</div>

CSS

body { font-family: Georgia; font-size: 80%; }
p { text-align: justify; }

#container { 
    background: #400;
    padding: 2em;
}

.box {
    margin-left: 50px;
    padding: 1em;
    position: relative;
    background: #bababa;
    width: 15em;
    
    float: left;
}

.box:before {
    position: absolute; top: 0; bottom: 0;
    left: -50px;
    width: 100%;
    height: 100%;
    content: " ";
    background: url('http://i.imgur.com/Fk8A9.png') no-repeat left center;   
}

.box:after {
    position: absolute; top: 0; bottom: 0;
    right: -50px;
    height: 100%;
    width: 100%;
    content: " ";
    background: url('http://i.imgur.com/B3Z4K.png') no-repeat right center;   
}

.box:first-child { margin-left: 0; }
.box:first-child:before { background: none; }
.box:nth-last-child(2):after { background: none; }