If you want your text to look the same in the browsers specifically choose a font type and size. Do not leave it as default default. Doing that leaves the font type and size up to the default font of the browser viewing it.

The reason you dont want to do it as an image is the load time. text will load dramatically faster than an image.

As far as the rivers go, there should not be any when it comes to typing in a web program. The default spacing on the web is 1 space only. If you need more spaces you need the   code inserted.