setting a button label overwrites label's color?

[Tim Flechtner <timf trdlnk com>]

hello gtkmmers,
 i have an object of Gtk::Button, in which i set the object's label's 
color by calling code like:

void setButton(Gtk::Button& button, std::string& s, Gdk::Color color)
{
 b.get_child()->modify_fg(Gtk::STATE_NORMAL, color);
 b.set_label(s);
}

after this code executes, the button's label has reverted to the default 
color for label text.  i believe that the call to set_label resets its 
color.  if i invert the order of the two lines in the above function, i 
get the color i therein.  i would *really* like to be able to updated 
the contents of the label without the color (and possibly other 
characteristics, such as font) resetting.  does anyone know how i can do so?

thanks!
-tim