\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{array,ragged2e}
\begin{document}
\begin{tabular}{%
    |>{\RaggedRight}p{0.72in}|>{\RaggedRight}p{1.97in}%
    |>{\RaggedRight}p{0.72in}|>{\RaggedRight}p{0.86in}|}\hline
    the first column of the table &
    the second column of the table  &
    the third column of the table  &
    the fourth column of the table   \tabularnewline\hline
\end{tabular}
\end{document}