<!DOCTYPE html>
<style>
    .multicol {
        width: 480px;
        height: 200px;
        border: 3px solid black;
        line-height: 20px;
    }
    .column {
        float: left;
        width: 160px;
    }
    .float {
        padding: 10px;
        background-color: skyblue;
    }
    .left { float: left; }
    .right { float: right; }
</style>

<p>There should be two blue floats in each of the three columns below, L's should float to the left,
   and R's should float to the right.</p>
<div class="multicol">
    <div class="column">
        First<br>
        First<br>
        First<br>
        First<br>
        <div class="float left">L1</div>
        <div class="float right">R1</div>
        First<br>
        First<br>
        First<br>
        First<br>
        First<br>
        First<br>
    </div>
    <div class="column">
        <div class="float left">L2</div>
        <div class="float right">R2</div>
        Second<br>
        Second<br>
        Second<br>
        Second<br>
        Second<br>
        Second<br>
        Second<br>
        Second<br>
        Second<br>
        Second<br>
    </div>
    <div class="column">
        Third<br>
        Third<br>
        Third<br>
        Third<br>
        Third<br>
        Third<br>
        Third<br>
        Third<br>
        <div class="float left">L3</div>
        <div class="float right">R3</div>
        Third<br>
        Third<br>
    </div>
</div>